Klutzy means awkward and prone to accidents, especially dropping things, bumping into objects, or tripping over your own feet. A klutzy person might knock over their water glass while reaching for the salt, trip on a completely flat sidewalk, or somehow tangle themselves in their backpack straps while trying to put it on.

Everyone has klutzy moments: maybe you've walked into a door frame or fumbled a catch during recess. But some people seem to have these moments more often than others. They might be called a klutz, which is the noun form of the word.

Being klutzy doesn't mean someone is careless or unintelligent. Sometimes people are klutzy because they're growing quickly and haven't quite adjusted to their changing body size. Other times, they might simply be distracted or thinking about something else while moving around. Athletes can be klutzy off the field, and graceful dancers can be klutzy in everyday situations.

The word has a lighthearted, almost affectionate tone. When someone calls themselves klutzy after spilling juice, they're usually laughing at their own mishap rather than feeling genuinely embarrassed.