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.
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.
- Recipe blogs should be concise and not full of verbage.
- Recipe blogs should be concise and not full of verbiage.
Other interesting language articles
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.
Definitions
US vs. UK spellings
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].
Cite this Scribbr article
If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.
Ryan, E. (2023, March 13). What Is Verbiage? | Definition, Meaning & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved November 28, 2023, from https://www.scribbr.com/definitions/verbiage/
