Does Gawky Mean Awkward?

Gawky people are awkward and uncoordinated, like giraffes doing ballet. Teenagers often feel gawky when their arms and legs grow faster than the rest of them.

What does gawky mean?

: awkward, clumsy a gawky adolescent.

Does clumsy mean awkward?

Some common synonyms of clumsy are awkward, gauche, inept, and maladroit. While all these words mean "not marked by ease (as of performance, movement, or social conduct)," clumsy implies stiffness and heaviness and so may connote inflexibility, unwieldiness, or lack of ordinary skill.