as in rambling
using or containing more words than necessary to express an idea
a writer whose penchant for pleonastic phrasings would suggest that he is in dire need of a hard-nosed editor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pleonastic
Adjective
-
Routh then read from a rambling, 20-page statement.—
David Fischer,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Feb. 2026 -
Also in the village, with lower prices, the June Lake Villager Motel is a rambling property beneath a vintage mid-century sign.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
In these cases, plaintiffs’ attorneys direct clients to adjacent doctors and facilities to generate false or exaggerated diagnoses for the sole purpose of inflating potential settlements and jury verdicts.—
Elizabeth Heck,
New York Daily News,
4 Feb. 2026
-
That belief, when a player’s career is winding down, sometimes leads to an exaggerated sense of self, conflicting with others’ perceptions.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
In 1949, a young American artist named Ray Johnson left Black Mountain College near Asheville, N.C., moved to New York City and began to explore his prolix talents, both visual and verbal.—
Roberta Smith,
New York Times,
30 May 2024
-
His answer is this book: a laudably sincere, exasperatingly prolix and occasionally affecting rumination on the state of Egypt—its society, culture, history and politics—pegged to the maddening bureaucracy of the archive.—
Kapil Komireddi,
WSJ,
12 Mar. 2023
Adjective
-
Sophia wasn’t particularly talkative that evening.—
Dan Turello,
New Yorker,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Lopez describes her daughter as an energetic, talkative child who speaks both English and Spanish.—
Leondra Head,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
New college registrations are dipping, with some citing affordability concerns, a souring entry-level job market, and fears artificial intelligence might make some junior and white-collar employment redundant.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Some have argued that expanding the authority of the BCOIG is redundant and unnecessary, as the Maryland Office of the Inspector General already has an inspector general for education.—
Carl Jackson,
Baltimore Sun,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Instead, Reeves became Estragon, the more simplistic and long-suffering of the duo, while Winter tackled Vladimir, the more commanding and verbose character.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Director Richard Linklater is fond of a verbose protagonist; Hawke and Julie Delpy gabbed through three films’ worth of Before movies, after all.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
16 Sep. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Pleonastic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pleonastic. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
