Gawkily

Gawkily describes a manner of acting in a clumsy, awkward, and conspicuously inept way, often involving staring or gawking. It suggests a lack of social grace and self-awareness, resulting in behavior that is perceived as clumsy, unrefined, or foolish. This word often implies a sense of naiveté or being out of one's element, leading to stilted movements and a noticeable discomfort in social situations. The word carries a connotation of unintended amusement on the observer's part, due to the obvious awkwardness displayed.

Gawkily meaning with examples

• The new intern, unused to formal settings, stood gawkily at the reception, his eyes wide and darting around the opulent lobby. His attempts to navigate the buffet at the company luncheon were gawkily clumsy, knocking over a bowl of fruit, and his conversation felt forced.
• As he tried to dance, he moved gawkily, tripping over his own feet and stepping on his partner’s toes, creating a spectacle that made others in the room giggle. His posture, his movements, and his attempts at conversation were all gawkily displayed.
• She blushed and stammered, her gestures and speech were gawkily displayed as she tried to order a coffee, stumbling over the simplest phrases, and spilling half her drink as she walked back to her table, looking utterly bewildered.
• The teenager at the party stood gawkily in the corner, clutching his drink and watching the other guests; his shoulders hunched, and his gaze nervously shifting between them, as he tried to look as though he was enjoying himself.
• During the crucial business pitch, his body language shifted into a gawkily displayed demeanor. He shuffled his feet, nervously adjusted his tie, and made prolonged eye contact with the ceiling, revealing a surprising degree of insecurity.