circumlocutory

adjective

Definition of circumlocutorynext
as in rambling
using or containing more words than necessary to express an idea the studio's statement that "the film's earnings did not live up to expectations" was a circumlocutory admission that the movie was a flop

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for circumlocutory
  1. rambling
  2. prolix
  3. talkative
  4. verbose
  5. circuitous
  6. exaggerated
  7. wordy
Adjective
  • The rambling, low-slung main residence was extensively renovated by the couple, who also expanded with a separate building that’s tucked up under a vast lawn.
    — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Dylan Young and his Melbourne group fill their third album with winsome and warm tracks whose best moments combine rambling guitars with tales of bruising regret.
    — Linnie Greene, Pitchfork, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of rambling
Adjective
  • Even the blandest overtures can whip him into a frantic, pornographic, prolix ecstasy.
    — Anna Wiener, New Yorker, 9 Mar. 2026
  • The album is a concise, 10-song set, a deliberate contrast to prolix streaming-era albums like the ones released lately by Taylor Swift and Beyoncé.
    — Jon Pareles, New York Times, 17 May 2024
Definition of prolix
Adjective
  • Elementary school students may have tantrums, be clingy, have toileting accidents, engage in uncontrollable crying or become less talkative as a result of changes in schools, homes and caregivers.
    — Nikki R Wooten, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2026
  • In the past, Cooper has had an active online life, a cheerful and talkative presence behind his thick black beard.
    — Steve Appleford, SPIN, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of talkative
Adjective
  • Asgari highlights these minor skirmishes through life itself (whether at its most verbose, or in complete silence) via minor aesthetic transformations which play in major keys, and prove deeply moving.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The playbook was far more verbose when Harvey arrived in Denver as a second-round pick.
    — Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of verbose
Adjective
  • The family landed in South Florida on Wednesday following a circuitous journey through Ecuador and Argentina.
    — Mauricio Savarese, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
  • In a circuitous journey, Bolsonaro left for Argentina on Tuesday with his wife and two daughters, then traveled to Ecuador, according to Argentina officials and flight data.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of circuitous
Adjective
  • The team’s 23-year-old in-house expert in men’s tailoring, Mario Vidal, also cut Carlos’s jackets to be wide on the shoulders and tight at the waist, adding further drama with exaggerated lapels.
    — Elaina Patton, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2026
  • In a series of TikTok videos made yesterday, North West debuted an exaggerated prosthetic chin and slick-black bob, tagging the Bad Girls star.
    — Isabella Albaig, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of exaggerated
Adjective
  • The Mass Effect trilogy, which began in 2007, married the wordy dialogue trees of role-playing games with run-and-gun gameplay, a formula that many other studios have attempted to copy, but few ever match its scale.
    — Washington Post, Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Afterward, Ashe quipped about taking on Parton’s famously wordy lyrics in front of the room.
    — Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of wordy
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.

Browse Nearby Words

circumlocution
circumlocutory
circumnavigate
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Cite this Entry

“Circumlocutory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circumlocutory. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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