1
as in boring
causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest
fell asleep during the ponderous speech
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in massive
having great weight
those ponderous pachyderms more commonly known as elephants
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in clumsy
difficult to use or operate especially because of size, weight, or design
lugged a ponderous movie camera all over China
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ponderous
Group plans can align when the feelings-led Moon in your social zone opposes ponderous Jupiter in your upbeat 5th house.
—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Mar. 2026
There is the ponderous march of normalcy and daily life.
—
Literary Hub,
12 Mar. 2026
The problem is that Congress changing fundamental statutes is a ponderous process ill suited to administering foreign policy in a dynamic global economy.
—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
8 Mar. 2026
Where the ponderous fire-roads invited a slow, deliberate pace to space our kidneys, the combination of hilly terrain and a slick surface demanded a more extemporaneous approach to conserving momentum.
—
Byron Hurd,
The Drive,
22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ponderous
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Mar. 2026
There is the ponderous march of normalcy and daily life.
—
Literary Hub,
12 Mar. 2026
The problem is that Congress changing fundamental statutes is a ponderous process ill suited to administering foreign policy in a dynamic global economy.
—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
8 Mar. 2026
Where the ponderous fire-roads invited a slow, deliberate pace to space our kidneys, the combination of hilly terrain and a slick surface demanded a more extemporaneous approach to conserving momentum.
—
Byron Hurd,
The Drive,
22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ponderous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ponderous
Adjective
-
Sustainable growth feels boring from the inside.
-
The point is to make the boring stuff feel like a hangout, not to build a productivity system.
Adjective
-
The country also has made a massive push to switch to electric vehicles, which reduced Chinese oil consumption by 1 million barrels per day, the International Energy Agency estimates.
-
The brand is celebrating Prime Day with massive markdowns on its latest and greatest electronics like the Apple Watch SE 3, the AirPods Pro 3, and the 2026 MacBook Air laptop.
Adjective
-
This has, in many cases, led to some clumsy looking solutions at venues across North America.
-
An early furor over accepting valuable gifts, including designer spectacles and Taylor Swift concert tickets, was followed by a series of policy U-turns, especially clumsy attempts to cut welfare spending that stirred anger in Labour ranks.
Adjective
-
What to expect over the weekend Though Friday was expected to be the slowest day of the competition, the atmosphere at Cal Expo was anything but dull.
-
Some residents are calling for civilian volunteers to help clear debris, frustrated by the slow pace of the rescue operations.
Adjective
-
Trejo sifted through debris and looked for clues in the area, appealing for help that required heavy machinery, according to CNN Español.
-
Workers were dispatched throughout La Guaira and parts of Caracas, where families and volunteers have spent the last few days pulling survivors and bodies from the wreckage despite a lack of heavy equipment and limited guidance from authorities.
Adjective
-
Your 2nd House of Finances hits an awkward angle as the nurturing Moon quincunxes ambitious Mars in your 9th House of Travel and Learning.
-
But that doesn’t mean there still aren’t some awkward moments.
Adjective
-
The head coach was clumsy in his response, saying — in effect — that the player is better suited to being an impact substitute and taking advantage of tiring opposition defenders.
-
The chassis exhibits little flex, the buttons feel crisp and responsive, and the scroll wheel offers enough resistance to feel deliberate without becoming tiring.
Adjective
-
Those habits feel cumbersome when a technology is evolving by the month.
-
That tendency, which may have been with us since the Stone Age, today serves the interests of our cumbersome friends in the Florida Everglades.
Cite this Entry
“Ponderous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ponderous. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
