Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

ham-fisted

/ˈhæmˌfɪstɪd/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 2.71 in modern English

Syllables: ham-fist-ed
IPA: /ˈhæmˌfɪstɪd/

18

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

2

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Lacking skill in physical movement with the hands; clumsy.

Informal

adj

Lacking skill in general; incompetent.

Informal

Example Sentences

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

Etymology

From ham (“thigh and buttock of an animal slaughtered for meat”) + fisted (adjective), probably referring to someone being clumsy as if they have hams at the end of their arms instead of hands.

Word Breakdown

Root: *pewǵ-

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈhæmˌfɪstɪd/
British English: /ˈhæmˌfɪstɪd/

Usage

Informal

Inflected Forms

more ham-fisted (comparative) most ham-fisted (superlative) hamfisted (alternative)

Derived Forms

hamfistedly hamfistedness

Phrases

ham-fistedly ham-fistedness ham radio

Frequently Paired Words

ham radio

Synonyms

cack-handed ham-handed heavy-handed mutton-fisted undexterous bungling amateurish backwards bad clumsy ham-fisted inapt

Antonyms

dexterous skilful able artful habile accomplished adept adroit apt capable competent consummate

Questions

How do you pronounce ham-fisted?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈhæmˌfɪstɪd/.
What does ham-fisted mean?: Lacking skill in physical movement with the hands; clumsy.
Where does ham-fisted come from?: From ham (“thigh and buttock of an animal slaughtered for meat”) + fisted (adjective), probably referring to someone being clumsy as if they have hams at the end of their arms instead of hands.

How to pronounce ham-fisted

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “ham-fisted”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈhæmˌfɪstɪd/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “ham-fisted”.
Repeat and practice — Say “ham-fisted” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.