ham-handed
Awkward and graceless
Ham-handed means clumsy or lacking finesse.
The term suggests thick, unwieldy hands—like hams—incapable of delicate work.
It applies to physical clumsiness but more often to social or diplomatic blunders: a ham-handed attempt at reconciliation, The government's ham-handed response only made things worse.
Also ham-fisted, with identical meaning.
Clumsy, uncoordinated handling
- bunglingMishandling through incompetence
- butterfingersClumsy dropper of things
- ungainlyLacking ease of movement
- lumberingMoving heavily and awkwardly
oafish · uncoordinated · gawky · maladroit · stumbling · heavy-footed · graceless · klutzy
Lacking nuance or delicacy
- undiplomaticLacking tact or finesse
- indelicateLacking refinement or tact
- insensitiveUnaware of others' emotions
- blunderingActing with clumsy incompetence
crude · boorish · tone-deaf · obtuse · gauche · crass · graceless · thoughtless
Mishandling through incompetence
- botchedPoorly executed, spoiled
- ineptLacking skill or competence
- unskilledLacking acquired competence
- amateurishLacking professional skill
fumbling · unprofessional · clumsy · ineffective · sloppy · careless · botching · mishandled
fumbling
Clumsy, uncoordinated handling
- bunglingMishandling through incompetence
- butterfingersClumsy dropper of things
- ungainlyLacking ease of movement
lumbering · oafish · uncoordinated · gawky · maladroit · stumbling · heavy-footed · graceless · klutzy · all-thumbs
unsubtle
Lacking nuance or delicacy
- undiplomaticLacking tact or finesse
- indelicateLacking refinement or tact
- insensitiveUnaware of others' emotions
blundering · crude · boorish · tone-deaf · obtuse · gauche · crass · graceless · thoughtless · inconsiderate
bungling
Mishandling through incompetence
amateurish · fumbling · unprofessional · clumsy · ineffective · sloppy · careless · botching · mishandled · crude
- ___-handed wordsoffhanded, ambidextrous
- clumsyclumsy, awkward, bumbling, bungling, fumbling
- clumsinessclumsiness, clumsy, awkwardness, fumble, stumble