verbose

[ ver-bohs ]

adjective

1. characterized by the use of many or too many words; wordy:

   a verbose report.

   Synonyms: loquacious, talkative, voluble, turgid, inflated, tedious, prolix

   Antonyms: laconic

verbose

/ vɜːˈbəʊs; vɜːˈbɒsɪtɪ /

adjective

1. using or containing an excess of words, so as to be pedantic or boring; prolix

Derived Forms

• verˈbosely, adverb
• verbosity, noun

Other Words From

• ver·bosely adverb
• ver·boseness noun
• unver·bose adjective
• unver·bosely adverb
• unver·boseness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of verbose¹

1665–75; < Latin verbōsus, equivalent to verb ( um ) word + -ōsus -ose ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of verbose¹

C17: from Latin verbōsus from verbum word

Synonym Study

See bombastic.

Example Sentences

She has used verbose phrases when speaking off the cuff, and while a few turns of phrase have been embraced by her supporters, opponents have often criticised her for a lack of clarity.

From BBC

He’s a very quiet, gentle man and not super verbose, but then suddenly he’ll come up with a lot to say.

From Los Angeles Times

He is very verbose and speaks in a certain way.

From Salon

Most relentless was Lamar, a Pulitzer Prize winner from Compton who tends toward the isolated and considered but has now released four verbose and conceptual diss tracks — totaling more than 20 minutes of new music — targeting Drake in the last week, including three since Friday.

From New York Times

The play is verbose, the plot is sluggishly novelistic and the operatic scale is indulgent.

From Los Angeles Times