Ham-fisted

Quick meaning: Ham-fisted is an adjective meaning Lacking skill in physical movement with the hands; clumsy.

Meaning

Lacking skill in physical movement with the hands; clumsy.

More Meanings

1. (by extension) Lacking skill in general; incompetent.

Example Sentences

What an utter farce. Just like DfT [the Department for Transport]'s ham-fisted, blundering ticket office closure programme.

[Stephen] Harper has a few weeks' grace, during which he and his ham-fisted finance minister, Jim Flaherty, can ponder the error of their ways.

"God damn and blast all you hamfisted yokels!" he was saying. "And you, sir, down there. Take that grin off your face and be more careful, or I'll have you clapped under hatches to sail with us today. Easy, there, easy! Christ, rum at seven guineas an anker isn't meant to be dropped like pig iron!"

In 1973, Sonia Orwell broke David Bowie's heart by refusing him permission to adapt her late husband [George Orwell]'s final novel into a rock musical. She had rebuffed every request since the hamfisted 1956 movie version starring Edmond O'Brien, and was never likely to make an exception for a glam-rock dandy, but he was sorely aggrieved.

Word Forms

• hamfisted

Synonyms for ham-fisted

Depending on context, synonyms include ham-handed, heavy-handed, mutton-fisted, undexterous, bungling, amateurish.

Antonyms for ham-fisted

Common opposites include dexterous, skilful, able, artful, habile, accomplished.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include ham-handed, maladroit, heavy-handed, butterfingered, bungling, bumbling.

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