circumlocutious
- adjective
- /ˌsɜrkəmloʊˈkjuːʃəs/
- She answered the question in a circumlocutious manner, never truly addressing the main point.
Examples
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His explanation was so circumlocutious that I lost track of the main point.
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The instructions were so circumlocutious that no one could follow them.
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His circumlocutious style frustrated readers who preferred a more direct approach.
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She tends to give circumlocutious answers during interviews.
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His circumlocutious explanation made it hard for them to understand his main point.
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During the meeting, she provided a circumlocutious response that left everyone confused.
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The politician's circumlocutious speech avoided giving a clear answer to the question.
Synonyms
Saying or writing more words than needed and taking too long
Using more words than needed makes the meaning hard to understand
Using more words than needed in speech or writing
Using more words than needed when speaking or writing
Using many words instead of saying something clearly to avoid a direct answer
To speak or write in a roundabout, wordy way that hides the main point
To use more words than needed in speech or writing to say something simple
Talking a lot quickly and without stopping
Using more words than needed, often repeating the same idea
Using long, difficult words in speech or writing
How Wordy
Surface Forms
Morphology
circumlocutious = circumlocution (semi-transparent) = circum + locut + ious
The adjective is formed by adding the regular adjectival suffix '-ious' to the noun 'circumlocution', a straightforward derivational step.
Etymology
Circumlocutious is made from circum- 'around' and locut- 'to speak', the same root you see in eloquent. It literally means 'speaking around', so it describes someone who uses more words than needed or talks in a roundabout way.