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verbiage

noun

/ˈvəːbɪɪdʒ/

IPA:

Dictionary definition of verbiage

An excessive or unnecessary use of words, often resulting in long-winded, convoluted, or overly complex language that obscures the intended meaning.
"The company's contracts were criticized for their legal verbiage."

Detailed meaning of verbiage

Verbiage can encompass verbose or wordy expressions, superfluous details, and intricate phrases that make communication less clear and concise. It is sometimes associated with jargon or technical language that is difficult for the average person to understand. Recognizing and minimizing verbiage is important in effective communication, as it allows for the clear and straightforward expression of ideas and information. In various contexts, from writing and public speaking to legal documents and technical manuals, avoiding excessive verbiage is a key aspect of ensuring that messages are easily comprehensible and impactful.

Example sentences containing verbiage

1. The excessive verbiage in his report hindered understanding.
2. Clarity often gets lost amidst lengthy, verbose verbiage.
3. Legal contracts are notorious for their dense, labyrinthine verbiage.
4. Her speech drew criticism for its superfluous and confusing verbiage.
5. Striving for simplicity and brevity trumps indulging in unnecessary verbiage.
6. Conciseness and precision in language are far more effective than convoluted verbiage.

History and etymology of verbiage

The noun 'verbiage' is rooted in the French word 'verbier,' which means 'to chatter' or 'to prattle.' This term is related to 'verbe,' meaning 'word' or 'speech.' As 'verbier' made its way into English, it evolved into 'verbiage' to describe the excessive or unnecessary use of words, often resulting in verbose, long-winded, convoluted, or overly complex language that obscures the intended meaning. The etymology of 'verbiage' reflects its historical association with chatter or prattle, highlighting the notion of using words excessively, sometimes to the detriment of clarity and conciseness in communication.

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Further usage examples of verbiage

1. The document's verbose verbiage left readers perplexed and frustrated.
2. The sheer volume of legal verbiage can make contracts daunting.
3. Editing to trim excessive verbiage is essential for clarity.
4. Succinct and straightforward language prevails over excessive verbiage.
5. His convoluted verbiage obscured the main message of his speech.
6. Legal documents often require decoding due to their intricate verbiage.
7. The superfluous verbiage detracted from the strength of the argument.
8. A writer should avoid overloading their work with verbose verbiage.
9. In writing, brevity and clarity outweigh excessive verbiage.
10. Dense verbiage can convolute the most straightforward ideas.
11. The report's wordy verbiage made reading it a tedious task.
12. Her excessive verbiage in the document received heavy criticism.
13. The verbiage in the manual made it challenging to follow instructions.
14. Effective communication aims to minimize unnecessary verbiage.
15. Precision in language is a key element in trimming superfluous verbiage.
16. The audience struggled to grasp the message amid the overwhelming verbiage.
17. Streamlining the verbiage in your writing enhances overall comprehension.
18. His verbose verbiage served to obscure rather than clarify the issues.
19. A concise message, free from excessive verbiage, is the most effective.
20. He was criticized for using too much verbiage in his speech.
21. She was praised for her concise verbiage in her writing.
22. The company's brochure was filled with technical verbiage.
23. He was known for his flowery verbiage in his poetry.
24. She was criticized for her excessive verbiage in her report.
25. The group's website was criticized for its confusing verbiage.
26. He was accused of using jargon and technical verbiage in his research.
27. She was praised for her clear and simple verbiage in her presentation.
28. The politician was criticized for his vague verbiage in his speeches.
29. He was known for his complex verbiage in his academic papers.
30. She was praised for her elegant verbiage in her novel.
31. Stripped of their pretentious verbiage, his statements were reduced to little substance.