Meaning & use
fumbling hands
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Meaning
phraseplural
Hands that move awkwardly or unsteadily, often because of nervousness or lack of skill.
Grammar: Always plural; used as a noun phrase. Can be the subject or object of a sentence.
Patterns
- with fumbling hands
- someone's fumbling hands
- fumbling hands reached for something
With fumbling hands, she tried to unlock the door in the dark.
His fumbling hands knocked over the glass of water.
The nervous speaker's fumbling hands betrayed his anxiety.
Common combinations
- with fumbling hands
- He searched for his keys with fumbling hands.
- fumbling hands shook
- Her fumbling hands shook as she opened the letter.
- fumbling hands reached for
- His fumbling hands reached for the light switch.
Synonyms and how they differ
- clumsy hands
- Emphasizes lack of coordination rather than nervousness; 'fumbling hands' often suggests temporary awkwardness due to emotion.
- unsteady hands
- Focuses on shaking or lack of balance, not necessarily awkward movement.
Opposites
Word family
- fumble verb
- To move or handle something awkwardly.
- fumblingly adverb
- In an awkward, unsteady manner.
Commonly confused: fumbling hands or fumbling?
fumbling hands vs fumbling
As an adjective, 'fumbling' describes the action (e.g., a fumbling attempt), while 'fumbling hands' is a noun phrase referring to the hands themselves.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'fumbling hands' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Fumbling hands' is a noun phrase, so it can be the object of 'has'. The other options incorrectly use it as a verb or in a verb phrase.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “fumbling hands”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.