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
Anna Wiener, New Yorker, 9 Mar. 2026
Ronald, who with his shock of white hair and prolix tendencies comes off like a frazzled professor, keeps to a more limited circuit writing out of his house and his office.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2026
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
A certain type of actor thrives in these prolix circumstances.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2021
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
Even the blandest overtures can whip him into a frantic, pornographic, prolix ecstasy.
—Anna Wiener, New Yorker, 9 Mar. 2026
Ronald, who with his shock of white hair and prolix tendencies comes off like a frazzled professor, keeps to a more limited circuit writing out of his house and his office.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2026
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
A certain type of actor thrives in these prolix circumstances.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2021
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
-
Thankfully, Babitz did exactly that — no rambling thoughts, petty accusations or amusing missives left unsaid.—
Michael Schaub,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
-
Despite this rambling semi-introduction, Newman’s film makes quick work of all of this, recognizing that getting to the Tova-and-Cameron show (with, of course, many guest appearances by Marcellus) is the entire point of the picture.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
The action itself is mundane, almost aggressively ordinary, yet the repetition becomes psychologically adhesive.—
Andrew S. Jacobson,
Baltimore Sun,
13 May 2026
-
Harris adapted Is God Is from her play of the same name, and the theatrical spirit lives on in the film through the rhythm and repetition of the dialogue.—
Jourdain Searles,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
Teaching first grade has always involved dealing with wiggly and talkative kids.—
Stacker,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
-
This story was not supposed to begin in Zagreb, but then a talkative five-year-old named Oliver showed up at my lunch table.—
Kevin West,
Travel + Leisure,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
To that, the verbose CEO pumped up HBO and streamer HBO Max as the real crown jewels in the WBD empire.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
6 May 2026
-
Written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, The Trial of the Chicago 7 bears his recognizable fast-paced, verbose style and features an almost impossibly starry ensemble cast.—
James Mercadante,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Director Scott Ellis understands all this, and thus the admirably specific physical business and slurred verbosity in his gently outré revival really makes for quite the amusing diversion.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Director Scott Ellis understands all this and thus the admirably specific physical business and slurred verbosity in his gently outré revival really makes for quite the amusing diversion.—
Chris Jones,
New York Daily News,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Legal opinions tend to be dry, wordy, and intentionally vague.—
David A. Graham,
The Atlantic,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Conrad is full of wordy comic dialogue that often sings in its idiosyncrasy but also elicits little more than a chuckle.—
Andy Andersen,
Vulture,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
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 18 May. 2026.
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