Looking up...
verbose
/vɜːrˈboʊs/
using more words than needed
The professor's explanation was so verbose that half the class fell asleep.
The explanation contained unnecessary details, making it hard to follow.
formal
using or expressed in more words than are needed
His writing is verbose and lacks clarity.
His writing uses too many words and is difficult to understand.
The manual is verbose but covers every detail exhaustively.
The manual provides excessive information, making it overly long.
Often implies unnecessary length rather than just being long. Can be neutral or negative depending on context.
Collocations
verbose explanationan explanation that uses too many wordsverbose writingwriting that is overly wordy
Pro Tip
Avoiding verbose writing
Replace phrases with single words where possible (e.g., 'due to the fact that' → 'because'). Use active voice and remove redundant qualifiers.
Gold Rule
When to use 'verbose'
Use 'verbose' to describe language that is overly wordy or contains unnecessary details. It is not typically used to describe concise but complex writing.
Word Origin
From Latin *verbōsus* (full of words), from *verbum* (word). Entered English in the 17th century.
Usage Notes
Commonly used to describe writing or speech that is unnecessarily long. Often carries a slightly negative connotation, implying that brevity would improve clarity.
Word Breakdown
verb-
word
root-ose
full of
suffixEnglish Dictionary