Verbiage

/ˈvərbē(ə)j/

Meaning & Definition

noun

excessively lengthy or technical speech or writing; wordiness.

The report was filled with so much verbiage that the main points were lost.

the way in which something is expressed; wording.

Her verbiage was so eloquent that it captivated the audience.

a collection of words and phrases used in a particular context.

The legal document was bogged down with verbiage that made it hard to understand.

From French 'verbiage', from 'verbe' meaning 'word'.

cut the verbiage

to reduce excessive wordiness in speech or writing.

verbiage overload

an excessive amount of verbiage that makes text difficult to read.

less verbiage, more action

a call to reduce unnecessary speech and focus on doing.

verbose

using more words than needed.

prolix

extended to great, unnecessary lengths.

rhetoric

the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing.

fluff

The essay was full of fluff, lacking any real substance.

chatter

His chatter about the project turned into pure verbiage.