PERIPHRASTIC Synonyms: 57 Similar and Opposite Words

periphrastic

adjective

Definition of periphrastic

as in pleonastic

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for periphrastic

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

Steering is accurate without being particularly communicative, but that's perfectly appropriate for this car.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 20 July 2026
But the highest-value layer will be people who combine financial fluency with the kind of strategic, communicative intelligence that helps the whole organization make better decisions.

— Jack O'Hara, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026

Definition of communicative

Adjective

The loudest or most verbose person in the meeting does not automatically ‘win’ every conversation.

— Kate Wieczorek, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
Both Laertes and Polonius are gender-swapped in this production, with Patrice Egleston playing the verbose mother of two daughters instead of a son and a daughter — a change that subtly shifts the dynamics in this family of women.

— Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2026

Definition of verbose

Adjective

Its vast, diffuse radio emissions are created by particles called electrons racing at near-light, or relativistic, speeds and interacting with magnetic fields of galaxies in the cluster.

— Robert Lea, Space.com, 21 July 2026
Addition is easy, and its cost is diffuse — spread in three-second increments across thousands of clinicians who never chose it.

— Sachin H. Jain, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

Definition of diffuse

Adjective

Filmmakers Sarah Cooper and Conny Fridh began filming Mosley in 2018, a turning point in his long, circuitous career.

— Leigh Anne Miller, ARTnews.com, 30 July 2026
That circuitous email chain between homeowners and city officials, including an assistant city attorney, illustrates how homeowners have been stonewalled, Lardon said.

— Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 25 July 2026

Definition of circuitous

Adjective

Warsh has elected to break with his three immediate predecessors’ efforts to make the Fed more talkative and transparent.

— David Goldman, CNN Money, 30 July 2026
In Emme Lund’s 2022 novel, the talkative bird (named Gail) who lives between Owen’s ribs acts as a metaphor for both queerness and disability.

— Chris Martin, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026

Definition of talkative

Adjective

There is no better illustration of speechlessness being deployed as a weapon, forcing the loquacious, as if at gunpoint, to fill the void with words.

— Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
The six-part series documented the program’s rise under Urban Meyer, while capturing the dedication and personalities of players, including the loquacious Spikes.

— Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 May 2026

Definition of loquacious

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

periphrasis

periphrastic

perish

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Periphrastic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/periphrastic. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of periphrastic

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

nurture

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes