1
as in boring
causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest
fell asleep during the ponderous speech
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in massive
having great weight
those ponderous pachyderms more commonly known as elephants
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
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
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
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
-
Some skyscrapers are quite uniform and rather boring.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Writing that’s as boring as your dullest relative was likely written by a chatbot that can’t see, hear, taste, smell, touch — or feel.—
Karen Stabiner,
Mercury News,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
What gives management the confidence to continue investing is a massive backlog that keeps getting bigger and bigger.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The killing of two civilians by federal officers, including the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti on Saturday, has drawn increasing criticism from public officials, including Republicans, and massive protests.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
Each additional finger adds mass, increasing the chances that fingers will collide, and making overall movement more clumsy.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The Commission, the EU’s executive arm, has decided that the pace of EV sales is far too slow and has proposed a new category of small and seriously affordable cars.—
Neil Winton,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
-
States and cities that have loosened building constraints are already seeing slower rent growth compared to heavily regulated markets.—
J.D. Hayworth,
Boston Herald,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The panel picks up on the baseball-heavy clues, and guesses accordingly.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Jan. 2026
-
While success has become familiar, his most recent championship in Texas carried a heavier meaning.—
Nina Burns,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
All four athletes stood together, smiling for photos through an undeniably awkward situation.—
Natasha O'Neill,
Vanity Fair,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
When Jensen was tiring of running her own business, her little brother did her the same favor of helping her land a job with the cannabis dispensary From The Earth at their Brookside location, where she was quickly hired and loved by her coworkers.—
PJ Green
January 7,
Kansas City Star,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Although Richardson has only appeared in 25 of the 36 contests so far in his rookie campaign, the near first-half of his first year as a professional has been tiring for the 20-year-old who’s continued to adjust to his new life in Orlando.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Others utilize passive mechanical structures that are often cumbersome and can’t shift shape in real time.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Bleach solutions also work but are more cumbersome and require a several-minute soak time.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ponderous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ponderous. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
