1
as in boring
causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest
fell asleep during the ponderous speech
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in massive
having great weight
those ponderous pachyderms more commonly known as elephants
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3
as in clumsy
difficult to use or operate especially because of size, weight, or design
lugged a ponderous movie camera all over China
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ponderous
Despite the political specificity of the family history unearthed here, the script presumes a level of profundity that’s just not there in the movie’s ponderous silences and woozy montages.
—
David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 28 Sep. 2025
The sculpture, unveiled by the artist Eric Fischl in 2000 and titled Soul in Flight, is worth pausing to look at, for its instructive power and its indictment of the ponderous slabs of metallurgical debris that litter other stadiums and arenas.
—Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 30 Aug. 2025
Much of the show is given to ponderous historical segues.
—Ruby Tandoh, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
There’s no long-winded exposition, no ponderous articulation of the themes, and no punches pulled.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ponderous
David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 28 Sep. 2025
The sculpture, unveiled by the artist Eric Fischl in 2000 and titled Soul in Flight, is worth pausing to look at, for its instructive power and its indictment of the ponderous slabs of metallurgical debris that litter other stadiums and arenas.
—Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 30 Aug. 2025
Much of the show is given to ponderous historical segues.
—Ruby Tandoh, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
There’s no long-winded exposition, no ponderous articulation of the themes, and no punches pulled.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ponderous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ponderous
Adjective
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Supporting your bone health doesn’t have to be complicated or boring.—
Lauren Manaker,
SELF,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Halftime shows for many years were also fairly boring affairs.—
David Hill,
Rolling Stone,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Los Angeles police issued a dispersal order Wednesday after a massive student protest over federal immigration enforcement efforts spiraled into violence in downtown LA.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
5 Feb. 2026
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Williams had just blown up the Chargers’ last-gasp comeback attempt and charged over to his head coach, getting a massive bear hug from Vrabel.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Rosenberg is careful to note that this doesn’t require abandoning values or discernment, but recognizing that beneath every expression — skillful, clumsy, or even hurtful — is an unmet need.—
Jasna Hodžić,
Big Think,
29 Jan. 2026
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The clumsy, confusing rollout of the fees certainly didn’t help — as many residents who were promised a locals discount couldn’t figure out how to tap that benefit.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The studio believes that February, once seen as a slow month for moviegoing, has become a much more lucrative corridor to release films.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
6 Feb. 2026
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What was once a slow squeeze has become an acute system failure for patients statewide.—
Andrew Hevesi,
New York Daily News,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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School’s closed, the roads in our neighborhood are shut down due to snow, difficult news keeps rolling in, and the whole world feels heavy.—
Caroline Carlson,
Literary Hub,
2 Feb. 2026
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Bala can’t go out to buy clean water, because the bottles are too heavy to carry home.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Scenes around the dinner table are awkward to say the least, but Meg has a big supporter in bestie Penny (Sophia Torres) and a burning desire to bring this show to life against all odds.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
26 Jan. 2026
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All four athletes stood together, smiling for photos through an undeniably awkward situation.—
Natasha O'Neill,
Vanity Fair,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Sound routines, sound tennis mind Pegula says that travelling all over the globe as a part of the WTA’s tour season is exhilarating on a day-to-day basis, but can be tiring over the long haul.—
Andy Frye,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
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But before continuing its schedule, the Heat has two days off to rest and recover from this tiring stretch on the road.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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These substances can help supply a lunar base, but using the dust can also be cumbersome and potentially dangerous.—
Devika Rao,
TheWeek,
27 Jan. 2026
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Others said the new regulations could create longer lines and a more cumbersome retail experience, driving exasperated customers to shop in other cities.—
Claire Wang,
Oc Register,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ponderous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ponderous. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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