verbose Hear it!

verbose Definition

ver·bose (vər bōs)

adjective

using or containing too many words; wordy; long-winded; prolix

Etymology: L verbosus, full of words < verbum, word

verbose Related Forms

ver·bosely adverb ver·bos·ity (-bäsə tē) noun or ver·bose·ness

verbose Synonyms

verbose

modif.

wordy, prolix, tedious, tautologous, redundant, repetitious, circumlocutory, repetitive, periphrastic, abounding in tautology, diffuse, repeating, pleonastic, bombastic, involved, involuted, tortuous, loquacious, long-winded, garrulous, talkative, magniloquent, grandiloquent, rhetorical, voluble, flowery, over-rhetorical, fustian, characterized by redundancy, word-mongering, farsed, stuffed, gabby*, loudmouthed*, talky*, windy*, big-mouthed*, blabby*, full of air*; see also dull 4.

Antonyms terse*, precise*, succinct.

verbose suggests a wordiness that results in obscurity, tediousness, bombast, etc. a verbose acceptance speech; wordy is the general term implying the use of more words in speaking or writing than are necessary for communication a wordy document; prolix implies such a tiresome elaboration of trivial details as to be boring or dull his prolix sermons; diffuse suggests such verbosity and loose construction as to lose all force and sharpness a rambling, diffuse harangue; redundant implies the use of unnecessary or repetitious words or phrases a redundant literary style

verbose Usage Examples

Adjective complement with noun phrase

make: Thus a positive argument has the effect of making the program more verbose.

Modifies a noun

  • mode: The -v switch at the beginning of the command turns on verbose mode, letting you see just what the program is doing.
  • output: The listing file contains verbose output about all the calculations that take place.
  • description: The maximum length of a verbose description is 128 characters.
  • log: However, RSF is not yet at full release status and the verbose logs can sometimes be helpful.
  • variable: For instance, the verbose variable is a toggle which causes command input to be echoed.
  • message: Flags -verbose Causes verbose messages to be written to standard output logging hub operations.

Modifying Another Word

  • overly: Do not be put off by some slightly clunky, overly verbose dialog.
  • rather: The logical conclusion which should be drawn from my rather verbose statement I leave to my readers to draw.
  • too: Don't go off on a tangent or get too verbose.
  • quite: Although I'm quite verbose in real life ( no?
  • very: Edmonds: 6/10, much to be expected, some good points but very verbose.
  • slightly: Wherever possible the code has been kept as straight forward as possible and slightly verbose.

Used with adjective complement

  • get: Don't go off on a tangent or get too verbose.
  • enable: If you enable verbose logging on the Document Refinery Options Configuration screen, the Document Refinery log shows the related configuration information.
  • look: The Avalon example would look about as verbose if done in the same way.
  • become: Our legislators have become verbose over the last century.

Browse dictionary entries near verbose

  1. verbigeration
  2. verbify
  3. verbid
  4. verbiage
  5. verbena
  6. verbatim
  7. verbally
  8. verbalize
  9. verbalist
  10. verbalism
  1. verbosely
  2. verbosity
  3. verboten
  4. verbum sat sapienti (est)
  5. Vercingetorix
  6. verdant
  7. Verde
  8. verderer
  9. Verdi
  10. Verdicchio