Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

circumlocute

verb

/ˌsɜːrkəmˈloʊkjuːt/

Definition

To express an idea in an excessively roundabout or indirect way.

Examples

During the interview, he tended to circumlocute instead of answering the questions directly.
Rather than getting straight to the point, she would circumlocute, leaving her audience confused.
His tendency to circumlocute made it hard for his friends to understand his point.

Meaning

Circumlocute refers to the use of unnecessarily complex language to describe something, often making the statement longer and less clear than it needs to be.