What Is Verbiage? | Definition, Meaning & Examples

Verbiage is a noun referring to excessive or technical use of words. It usually has a negative connotation.

It’s also used in a more neutral sense to refer generally to the manner or style of written or spoken words. This usage is more common in US English than UK English.

Examples: Verbiage in a sentence
The first draft of Jim’s speech was full of verbiage, so he rewrote it.

The verbiage of the book hid the fact that it was not very original.

I couldn’t understand the contract because it was full of technical verbiage.

Verbiage vs. verbage

“Verbage” is sometimes used to mean something similar to verbiage, but “verbage” is generally not regarded as a real word by dictionaries, and it’s best to avoid it.

Examples: Verbiage vs. verbage
  • Recipe blogs should be concise and not full of verbage.
  • Recipe blogs should be concise and not full of verbiage.

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If you want to know more about commonly confused words, definitions, and differences between US and UK spellings, make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations, examples, and quizzes.

Frequently asked questions

What is a synonym of “verbiage”?

There are numerous synonyms for the two meanings of verbiage.

Excessive use of language Manner/style of language
Circumlocution Diction
Diffuseness Language
Long-windedness Phrasing
Redundancy Style
Verboseness Syntax
Verbosity Turn of phrase
Windiness Wording
Wordage
Wordiness
How do I pronounce “verbiage”?

Verbiage has three syllables. It’s pronounced with emphasis on the first syllable: [ver-bee-ij].

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Ryan, E. (2023, March 13). What Is Verbiage? | Definition, Meaning & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved November 28, 2023, from https://www.scribbr.com/definitions/verbiage/

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Eoghan Ryan

Eoghan has a lot of experience with theses and dissertations at bachelor's, MA, and PhD level. He has taught university English courses, helping students to improve their research and writing.