ham-fisted

• hamfisted

From ham (“overacting inferior performer; actor of low grade; incompetent pugilist”) +‎ fisted.

ham-fisted (comparative more ham-fisted, superlative most ham-fisted)

1. Lacking skill in physical movement, especially with the hands.

   Synonyms: cack-handed, clumsy, ham-handed, mutton-fisted

   Antonyms: dexterous, skillful

2. (by extension) Lacking skill in general.

   Synonyms: bungling, incompetent

   Antonym: skillful

   • 2008 December 6, “Jean has done Canada a favour”, in Kingston Whig-Standard‎:

     Harper has a few weeks' grace, during which he and his ham-fisted finance minister, Jim Flaherty, can ponder the error of their ways.

   • 2019 November 13, Dorian Lynskey, “Bowie’s Books and Why Bowie Matters review – a manic turnover of new ideas”, in The Guardian‎:

     She had rebuffed every request since the hamfisted 1956 movie version starring Edmond O’Brien, and was never likely to make an exception for a glam-rock dandy, but he was sorely aggrieved.

   • 2023 September 6, Nigel Harris, “Comment: Leaderless and rudderless”, in RAIL, number 991, page 3:

     What an utter farce. Just like DfT's ham-fisted, blundering ticket office closure programme.

• made shift