Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Lacking dexterity or skill; clumsy.
  • adjective Lacking social grace or tact.
  • adjective Having unusually large hands.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Clumsy, heavy, or inept; not delicate, light or gentle.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective lacking physical movement skills, especially with the hands

Etymologies

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Examples

  • Politico approached him 10 days before the story was published and asked for a response and there was nothing until the ham-handed iterations of the narrative that unfolded over the course of one news cycle.

    James Moore: Whodunnit to Herman? James Moore 2011

  • Politico approached him 10 days before the story was published and asked for a response and there was nothing until the ham-handed iterations of the narrative that unfolded over the course of one news cycle.

    James Moore: Whodunnit to Herman? James Moore 2011

  • You can guess what happens next, but it doesn't matter, for Kanin runs the changes on his familiar theme so adroitly that you won't even mind the ham-handed civics lesson tucked into the last five minutes of the play.

    The Blacker Shade of Blue Terry Teachout 2011

  • Politico approached him 10 days before the story was published and asked for a response and there was nothing until the ham-handed iterations of the narrative that unfolded over the course of one news cycle.

    James Moore: Whodunnit to Herman? James Moore 2011

  • Quant analysts might unearth some false notes, but compared with usually ham-handed corporate thrillers, this is as welcome as "Margin Call" or a new Joseph Finder novel.

    The Short List 2012

  • Just when you thought BP couldn’t top former CEO Tony Hayward’s ham-handed statements last summer, it appears the giant oil conglomerate still has the mojo to make Gulf residents’ blood boil.

    Rocky Kistner: BP to Feinberg: Stop Paying People So Much Rocky Kistner 2011

  • Just when you thought BP couldn’t top former CEO Tony Hayward’s ham-handed statements last summer, it appears the giant oil conglomerate still has the mojo to make Gulf residents’ blood boil.

    Rocky Kistner: BP to Feinberg: Stop Paying People So Much Rocky Kistner 2011

  • Our ham-handed approach to other countries is pretty scary. thetruth

    History will have to make a judgment on Iraq, Powell says 2009

  • Just when you thought BP couldn’t top former CEO Tony Hayward’s ham-handed statements last summer, it appears the giant oil conglomerate still has the mojo to make Gulf residents’ blood boil.

    Rocky Kistner: BP to Feinberg: Stop Paying People So Much Rocky Kistner 2011

  • Then our ham-handed land of the giants reality takes over and the little magic letter is prepared for real-world mailing.

    Boing Boing 2009

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