as in rambling
using or containing more words than necessary to express an idea
a person known for habitually transforming brief anecdotes into prolix sagas that exhaust their listeners
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in repetition
the use of too many words to express an idea
prolixity is one of the worst offenses that a writer of any age can commit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prolix
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
There’s a hypnotic quality to this freewheeling central section, a sustained charge that falters in some of the more prolix passages around it.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Sep. 2022
A certain type of actor thrives in these prolix circumstances.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2021
Ames’s ruminations on the soul are prolix, philosophical, and profoundly sad.
—Hermione Lee, The New York Review of Books, 22 Oct. 2020
Words, including those of artists themselves—as prolix in their way as critics, curators, and historians—can serve vision but can also deflect from it.
—Barry Schwabsky, ARTnews.com, 3 Sep. 2019
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
There’s a hypnotic quality to this freewheeling central section, a sustained charge that falters in some of the more prolix passages around it.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Sep. 2022
A certain type of actor thrives in these prolix circumstances.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2021
Ames’s ruminations on the soul are prolix, philosophical, and profoundly sad.
—Hermione Lee, The New York Review of Books, 22 Oct. 2020
Words, including those of artists themselves—as prolix in their way as critics, curators, and historians—can serve vision but can also deflect from it.
—Barry Schwabsky, ARTnews.com, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prolix
Adjective
-
Her rambling answer includes several deep breaths and a pause that has Mike’s mom shaking her head.—
Jennifer Zhan,
Vulture,
25 Feb. 2026
-
The thinktank session was held at the rambling 40-acre Mettawa estate of another presidential also-ran, Adlai Stevenson II.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Fashion is fond of calling repetition ‘evolution,’ until the moment comes when change is unavoidable.—
Tiziana Cardini,
Vogue,
24 Feb. 2026
-
All that repetition aims to extract something from the text that might not otherwise surface.—
Christopher Bonanos,
Vulture,
23 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The moody Moon and wary Chiron trine across your talkative 3rd house and your convivial 11th house, guiding your explanations of complex issues.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
1 Mar. 2026
-
In court, Tillman was upbeat and talkative with his federal public defender, Varell Fuller, prior to making his guilty plea.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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What may sound like a verbose exercise is made vibrant by King’s deft direction.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Feb. 2026
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But Dreher has been giving voice to the yearnings and frustrations of religious conservatives for many years—as a magazine blogger with more than 1 million pageviews a month, an author of best-selling books, and a deliriously verbose writer on Substack.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The previous record-holder was President Clinton, famously known for his Southern-twang verbosity.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Feb. 2026
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This working prompt injection came only after much trial and error, explaining the verbosity and the detail in it.—
Dan Goodin,
ArsTechnica,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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During a Moon-Pluto trine with Luna in your connected 7th house and Pluto in your wordy 3rd house, you’re called to strengthen your agreements through open dialogue.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
24 Feb. 2026
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In frank yet wordy songs that layer guitars and synths over shimmering grooves, Duff sings about trying to overcome old habits and about her fear that her best times are behind her.—
Mikael Wood,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The repetitiveness of the plot is not helped by the many montages writer-director Yandy Laurens uses as shortcuts, instead of writing scenes that show how the central relationship is developing.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
15 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Flatulent describes inflated, pretentious writing; garrulity describes excessive talkativeness.—
Gary Gilson,
Star Tribune,
31 Oct. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Prolix.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prolix. Accessed 5 Mar. 2026.
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