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gracelessness

gracelessness

7.1
A lack of smooth, polite movement or social behavior
  • noun
  • /ˈɡreɪsləsnəs/
translation icon : torpeza
  • His gracelessness during the dance made everyone uncomfortable.

Examples

  • I look at my thick fingers trying to line up in a row for an A major chord and curse my gracelessness.

    Blog text (27)
  • Like him was I, these sloping shoulders, this gracelessness.

  • We all die, in the end, and the grace or gracelessness with which we leave is meat only for the morbid.

    Academic text (1994)
  • For all his puppy-dog gracelessness, and despite the deceptive ease she had fixing his teeth, she came to appreciate this man's royal recalcitrance.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • All that day I had studied the land, musing upon its distinctive qualities, and while I acknowledged the natural beauty of it, I revolted from the gracelessness of its human habitations.

    Academic text (2006)
  • She tried to hide her gracelessness in conversation, but it was evident.

  • The gracelessness of the new design made it unpopular among customers.

Synonyms

clumsiness
vsgracelessness
3 3.3

Lack of smooth, graceful movement or behavior that looks awkward

includes that physical awkwardness but also poor manners and style
stiffness
vsgracelessness
1 4.9

An awkward way of moving or speaking that shows nervousness

is broader, implying general lack of elegance rather than temporary tension
awkwardness
vsgracelessness
1 3.6

Lack of skill or grace when moving, often causing trips

focuses more on unpleasant lack of elegance or refinement beyond clumsiness
ungracefulness
vsgracelessness
6.5

A clumsy, awkward way of moving or looking

is more negative, stressing unpleasant lack of elegance and refinement
inelegance
vsgracelessness
7.1

A lack of grace, good taste, or neatness

adds a stronger sense of being unpleasant rather than merely plain
ungainliness
vsgracelessness
7.7

Lack of grace in movement or posture that looks clumsy

covers both movement awkwardness and poor social manners more broadly
gawkiness
vsgracelessness
7.4

Clumsy movement or posture that looks uncomfortable

is broader, also including lack of refinement in behavior or form
gaucheness
vsgracelessness
8.6

Awkward behaviour that shows little social skill

is wider, including awkward movement as well as untidy social manner
gaucherie
vsgracelessness
9.9

Awkward or rude behavior in social situations that makes people feel uncomfortable

is not limited to social tact and also covers physical ungainliness
oafishness
vsgracelessness
8.3

Clumsy, awkward actions that make other people feel uncomfortable

is less personal, covering general lack of elegance rather than roughness
classlessness
vsgracelessness
  • Offensive
8.1

Rude behavior or dress that shows no good taste

is similar but puts less weight on offensiveness and more on ugliness
indecorousness
vsgracelessness
  • Formal
9.9

Lack of polite behavior or good taste

is wider, also including awkward movement and physical lack of elegance
ungraciousness
vsgracelessness
8.1

Being rude and not polite to other people

is broader, covering both rudeness and lacking elegance in movement or form

Antonyms

1 3.2

A smooth, attractive way of moving like a dancer or swan

How Graceful

elegance
47 3.5
gracefulness
1 3.2
gracelessness
7.1
awkwardness
25 4.5
clumsiness
3 3.3

Surface Forms

gracelessness singular

Morphology

gracelessness = graceless (transparent) = grace + less + ness

The noun is formed by adding the productive nominalizer '-ness' to the adjective 'graceless', and the adjective is transparently 'grace' + '-less' meaning 'without grace'.

Etymology

Gracelessness comes from the word grace, which means 'smooth beauty, kindness, or favor', and the ending -less means 'without', as in careless. So, gracelessness is being 'without grace' — a lack of smooth movement, charm, or polite behaviour.