C1 adjective 중립

awkward

/ˈɔːkwərd/

Describes a situation, person, or movement that is clumsy, uncomfortable, or embarrassing. It often refers to social situations lacking ease or objects that are difficult to handle due to their shape or size.

예시

3 / 5
1

There was an awkward silence after he made the inappropriate comment during dinner.

There was an uncomfortable and embarrassing period of no talking after his comment.

2

The diplomat found himself in an awkward position when the two leaders refused to shake hands.

The official was in a difficult and embarrassing situation regarding the leaders' refusal.

3

It was so awkward bumping into my ex-boyfriend at the gym yesterday.

It was very uncomfortable and socially clumsy meeting my former partner unexpectedly.

어휘 가족

명사
awkwardness
부사
awkwardly
형용사
awkward
관련
gawkiness
💡

암기 팁

The 'awk' sound is like a bird (an Auk) trying to walk on land—it looks very 'awkward' and lacks grace.

빠른 퀴즈

The heavy, circular table was very ________ to move through the narrow doorway.

정답!

정답은: awkward

예시

1

There was an awkward silence after he made the inappropriate comment during dinner.

everyday

There was an uncomfortable and embarrassing period of no talking after his comment.

2

The diplomat found himself in an awkward position when the two leaders refused to shake hands.

formal

The official was in a difficult and embarrassing situation regarding the leaders' refusal.

3

It was so awkward bumping into my ex-boyfriend at the gym yesterday.

informal

It was very uncomfortable and socially clumsy meeting my former partner unexpectedly.

4

The researcher noted that the apparatus was awkward to use, leading to slight variations in the data.

academic

The scientist observed that the equipment was difficult and clumsy to handle.

5

The timing of the merger announcement was awkward, coming just days before the CEO's retirement.

business

The scheduling of the news was inconvenient and caused social or professional discomfort.

어휘 가족

명사
awkwardness
부사
awkwardly
형용사
awkward
관련
gawkiness

자주 쓰는 조합

awkward silence a period of silence that feels uncomfortable
awkward phase a period of time, usually in adolescence, characterized by lack of grace
awkward timing when something happens at an inconvenient or poorly chosen moment
awkward question a question that is difficult or embarrassing to answer
awkward movement a physical motion that lacks coordination or flow

자주 쓰는 구문

an awkward customer

a person who is difficult to deal with or uncooperative

in an awkward spot

in a difficult or embarrassing situation

the awkward squad

a group of people who are difficult to manage or organize

자주 혼동되는 단어

awkward vs clumsy

'Clumsy' usually refers specifically to physical lack of coordination, while 'awkward' applies to both physical movements and social situations.

awkward vs inconvenient

'Inconvenient' refers to something that causes trouble or extra work, while 'awkward' implies a sense of embarrassment or lack of grace.

📝

사용 참고사항

Use 'awkward' to describe feelings of social discomfort or to describe objects that are physically hard to manage because of their shape. It is a versatile word that covers both social and physical domains.

⚠️

자주 하는 실수

Learners often use 'awkward' to mean 'difficult' in a general sense (e.g., 'an awkward exam'), but it should specifically imply difficulty caused by clumsiness, lack of social ease, or poor design.

💡

암기 팁

The 'awk' sound is like a bird (an Auk) trying to walk on land—it looks very 'awkward' and lacks grace.

📖

어원

Derived from the Middle English 'awk' (meaning 'turned the wrong way') and the suffix '-ward' (indicating direction).

문법 패턴

Used as an adjective before a noun: 'an awkward moment' Used after linking verbs: 'He felt awkward' Followed by an infinitive: 'It is awkward to carry'
🌍

문화적 맥락

In many English-speaking cultures, especially British and American, 'awkwardness' is a common theme in comedy and social self-deprecation.

빠른 퀴즈

The heavy, circular table was very ________ to move through the narrow doorway.

정답!

정답은: awkward

관련 단어

to

A1

Used to indicate the place, person, or thing that someone or something moves toward. It can also mark the recipient of an action or the limit of a range.

and

A1

A primary conjunction used to connect words, phrases, or clauses that are grammatically equal. It indicates addition, a sequence of events, or a relationship between two things.

a

A1

A word used before a singular noun that is not specific or is being mentioned for the first time. It is used only before words that begin with a consonant sound to indicate one of something.

that

A1

This word is a demonstrative pronoun used to indicate a specific person, object, or idea that is further away in space or time from the speaker. It is also used to refer back to something that has already been mentioned or to introduce a clause that identifies something.

I

A1

The pronoun 'I' is used by a speaker or writer to refer to themselves as the subject of a verb. It is the first-person singular subject pronoun in English and is always capitalized regardless of its position in a sentence.

for

A1

Used to show who is intended to have or use something, or to explain the purpose or reason for an action. It is also frequently used to indicate a specific duration of time.

not

A1

A function word used to express negation or denial. It is primarily used to make a sentence or phrase negative, often following an auxiliary verb or the verb 'to be'.

with

A1

A preposition used to indicate that people or things are together, in the same place, or performing an action together. It can also describe the instrument used to perform an action or a characteristic that someone or something has.

he

A1

A pronoun used to refer to a male person or animal that has already been mentioned or is easily identified. It functions as the subject of a sentence.

you

A1

Used to refer to the person or people that the speaker is addressing. It is the second-person pronoun used for both singular and plural subjects and objects.

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