PONDEROUS Synonyms: 206 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'ponderous' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of ponderous are cumbersome , cumbrous , heavy , and weighty . While all these words mean "having great weight," ponderous implies having great weight because of size and massiveness with resulting great inertia. // ponderous elephants in a circus parade

Q: How do 'cumbrous' and 'cumbersome' relate to one another, in the sense of 'ponderous'?

Both cumbrous and cumbersome imply heaviness and bulkiness that make for difficulty in grasping, moving, carrying, or manipulating. // wrestled with the cumbrous furniture // early cameras were cumbersome and inconvenient

Q: When could 'heavy' be used to replace 'ponderous'?

The synonyms heavy and ponderous are sometimes interchangeable, but heavy implies that something has greater density or thickness than the average of its kind or class. // a heavy child for his age

Q: When is it sensible to use 'weighty' instead of 'ponderous'?

In some situations, the words weighty and ponderous are roughly equivalent. However, weighty suggests having actual and not just relative weight. // a load of weighty boxes

ponderous

adjective

ˈpän-d(ə-)rəs

Definition of ponderous

as in boring

causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest fell asleep during the ponderous speech

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in massive

having great weight those ponderous pachyderms more commonly known as elephants

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective ponderous differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of ponderous are cumbersome, cumbrous, heavy, and weighty. While all these words mean "having great weight," ponderous implies having great weight because of size and massiveness with resulting great inertia.

ponderous elephants in a circus parade

How do cumbrous and cumbersome relate to one another, in the sense of ponderous?

Both cumbrous and cumbersome imply heaviness and bulkiness that make for difficulty in grasping, moving, carrying, or manipulating.

wrestled with the cumbrous furniture

early cameras were cumbersome and inconvenient

When could heavy be used to replace ponderous?

The synonyms heavy and ponderous are sometimes interchangeable, but heavy implies that something has greater density or thickness than the average of its kind or class.

a heavy child for his age

When is it sensible to use weighty instead of ponderous?

In some situations, the words weighty and ponderous are roughly equivalent. However, weighty suggests having actual and not just relative weight.

a load of weighty boxes

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 The Government Accountability Office documented the ongoing problem in a recent report, which noted that controller attrition and the agency’s ponderous hiring procedures contribute to the long-term problem. — Colleen Mondor, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026 Attacking patterns are centralised around Rogers, yet the recent ponderous tempo has impeded quick passes into his feet. — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for ponderous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ponderous

Adjective

Infrastructure inspection is exactly the kind of boring but highly practical application that modern airships excel at, Grossman says.

— Edd Gent, IEEE Spectrum, 29 Oct. 2026
The Milwaukee Brewers won what was, ultimately, a bit of a boring World Series in five games.

— Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of boring

Adjective

The massive fire that broke out last November engulfed seven buildings in an apartment complex in a northern suburban district, killing 168 people and displacing thousands of others.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Oct. 2026
R136a1 is just such a star, the most massive star known, at several hundred times the sun’s bulk.

— Phil Plait, Scientific American, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of massive

Adjective

As Ivan and Nina wrestle with their own emotional truths, which range from her mother Nora’s departure from their lives to Ivan’s clumsy recitations of Nina’s childhood antics, something alarming is afoot.

— Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
Here, his clumsy, winky, affected, and self-undercutting direction can’t even work the charming Jenna Ortega to a great performance, as her Klara is flattened into a bundle of manic pixie mannerisms both physical and verbal.

— Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of clumsy

Adjective

The course of Alzheimer’s disease is slightly slower than that of Lewy body dementia, according to Vossel.

— Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
The team found that slower charging helped create more uniform, inorganic-rich protective layers, which are important for maintaining stable battery performance.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of slow

Adjective

Trump’s local appearances might present an awkward situation for some candidates who have sought to distance themselves from the president.

— Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Oct. 2026
In Sam’s case, his roaring egotism is somewhat awkward because he’s also obsessed with the idea of being altruistic.

— Joy Press, Vanity Fair, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of awkward

Adjective

Tommy Gemmell, advanced from left-back, provided the equaliser on 63 minutes and with Inter tiring and Celtic still pushing, Chalmers scored the famous winner with six minutes left.

— Michael Walker, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
But after a while, the lack of grounding gets tiring, as various supernatural shenanigans appear to be determined more by plot convenience than anything else.

— Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of tiring

Adjective

Enter the fast-growing world of electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, known by the somewhat cumbersome acronym of eVTOLs.

— Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2026
Less cumbersome portable hifi listening Accessibility Innovations improving life for the elderly and people with disabilities.

— Time, Time, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of cumbersome

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ponderousness

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

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