cumbersome

adjective

cum·​ber·​some ˈkəm-bər-səm How to pronounce cumbersome (audio)
Synonyms of cumbersome
1
: unwieldy because of heaviness and bulk
a cumbersome package
2
: slow-moving : ponderous
cumbersome administrative procedures
3
dialect : burdensome, troublesome
cumbersomely adverb
cumbersomeness noun

Synonyms of cumbersome

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heavy, weighty, ponderous, cumbrous, cumbersome mean having great weight.

heavy implies that something has greater density or thickness than the average of its kind or class.

a heavy child for his age

weighty suggests having actual and not just relative weight.

a load of weighty boxes

ponderous implies having great weight because of size and massiveness with resulting great inertia.

ponderous elephants in a circus parade

cumbrous and cumbersome imply heaviness and bulkiness that make for difficulty in grasping, moving, carrying, or manipulating.

wrestled with the cumbrous furniture
early cameras were cumbersome and inconvenient

Examples of cumbersome in a Sentence

Squad members, already decked out in cumbersome chemical suits, put on masks and rubber gloves. —Ray Wilkinson, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 1991
He got the approval of the higher-ups, but the course was scuttled by members of his own department, who devised all kinds of cumbersome, silly requirements and prerequisites. —Alice Munro, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 1989
He cut some segments of the 2" pine but discovered that … a cumbersome system of braces would be needed to hold the sides straight. —John Updike, Couples, 1968
The application process is cumbersome and time-consuming. Her expanded job title is really cumbersome.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
As a result, New York got a great public space — and resuscitating the BQE became far more complicated and cumbersome. — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 24 Aug. 2026 Until recently, American orders were shipped from Portugal, adding delivery time, customs and duties, while making returns and exchanges more cumbersome. — Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 21 Aug. 2026 The eight-speed automatic behaves naturally around town, and the AWD system adds confidence without making the Tucson feel heavy or cumbersome. — Josh Max, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 New institutions get their room to maneuver through carve-outs from rules that are meant to apply across all of government, such as hiring authorities that bypass the normal process or waivers from cumbersome procedural requirements. — Jennifer Pahlka, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cumbersome

Word History

Etymology

see cumber entry 1

First Known Use

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of cumbersome was in 1535

Browse Nearby Words

Cumberland sauce
cumbersome
cumbersomely
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Cite this Entry

“Cumbersome.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cumbersome. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

cumbersome

adjective
cum·​ber·​some ˈkəm-bər-səm How to pronounce cumbersome (audio)
: hard to handle or manage because of size or weight
cumbersomely adverb
cumbersomeness noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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