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Fumble vs Clumsy - What's the difference?

fumble | clumsy |

As nouns the difference between fumble and clumsy

is that fumble is (sports) a ball etc that has been dropped while clumsy is a person.

As a verb fumble

is (intransitive) to idly touch or nervously handle.

As an adjective clumsy is

awkward, lacking coordination, not graceful, not dextrous.

fumble

English

Verb

(fumbl)
  • (intransitive) To idly touch or nervously handle
  • Waiting for the interview, he fumbled with his tie.
    He fumbled the key into the lock.
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2010 , date=December 28 , author=Owen Phillips , title=Sunderland 0 - 2 Blackpool , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=Henderson's best strike on goal saw goalkeeper Kingson uncomfortably fumble his measured shot around the post.}}
  • (intransitive) To grope awkwardly in trying to find something
  • He fumbled for his keys.
    He fumbled his way to the light-switch.
  • * Fielding
  • Adams now began to fumble in his pockets.
  • To blunder uncertainly.
  • He fumbled through his prepared speech.
  • To grope about in perplexity; to seek awkwardly.
  • to fumble for an excuse
  • * Chesterfield
  • My understanding flutters and my memory fumbles .
  • * Wordsworth
  • Alas! how he fumbles about the domains.
  • (transitive, intransitive, sports) To drop a ball or a baton etc.
  • To handle much; to play childishly; to turn over and over.
  • * Shakespeare
  • I saw him fumble with the sheets, and play with flowers.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (sports) A ball etc. that has been dropped
  • clumsy

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • awkward, lacking coordination, not graceful, not dextrous
  • He's very clumsy . I wouldn't trust him with carrying the dishes.
  • Not elegant or well-planned, lacking tact or subtlety
  • It is a clumsy solution, but it might work for now.
    What a clumsy joke...
  • awkward or inefficient in use or construction, difficult to handle or manage especially because of shape
  • Noun

    (clumsies)
  • A person.
  • Synonyms

    * butterfingers * klutz

    See also

    * clumsies

    Anagrams

    * *