Meaning
- Verbiage refers to speech or writing that uses too many words or is excessively wordy.
- It can also mean the manner or style of expression, especially when considered in terms of wording.
Grammar and Usage
- Part of speech: noun
- Used to describe language, writing, or speaking.
- Can have a negative sense (too wordy, unnecessary words) or a neutral sense (choice of words or phrasing).
Sentence structures:
- "The contract was filled with legal verbiage."
- "I liked the verbiage he used in the speech."
Common Phrases
- "cut through the verbiage" – to remove unnecessary words
- "legal verbiage" – overly complex legal language
- "marketing verbiage" – promotional wording
Collocations
- excessive verbiage
- confusing verbiage
- flowery verbiage
- unnecessary verbiage
- clear verbiage
Examples
- The professor asked the student to reduce the verbiage in the essay.
- His speech was full of unnecessary verbiage, making it hard to follow.
- The contract contained pages of legal verbiage that confused the clients.
- She admired the poetic verbiage in the novel.
- Please eliminate the verbiage and get straight to the point.
- The report was criticized for its excessive verbiage.
- The verbiage in the advertisement was catchy but misleading.
- Lawyers often rely on precise verbiage to avoid misinterpretation.
Synonyms or Related
- wordiness
- verbosity
- prolixity
- wording
- phraseology
- diction