Meaning & use
a loquacious woman
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Meanings
phrasefixed phraseformal
a woman who talks a great deal, often in an engaging or fluent way.
Grammar: The adjective 'loquacious' describes the noun 'woman'; it can also be used alone: she is loquacious.
Patterns
- a loquacious woman
- a loquacious guest
- be loquacious
At the party, a loquacious woman entertained everyone with stories from her travels.
My aunt is a loquacious woman who can talk for hours about gardening.
He married a loquacious woman who balanced his quiet nature.
phrasefixed phrasedisapproving
a woman who talks more than others would like, sometimes seen as annoying.
Grammar: With this meaning the phrase often carries mild criticism, depending on tone.
Patterns
- a rather loquacious woman
- an overly loquacious woman
The interviewer found her a loquacious woman who rarely paused for questions.
Some colleagues saw her as a loquacious woman who dominated every meeting.
Common combinations
- a loquacious woman
- A loquacious woman at the front desk greeted every visitor warmly.
- loquacious and witty
- She was loquacious and witty, so the dinner never grew dull.
- rather loquacious
- Our new neighbor is rather loquacious, but very kind.
Synonyms and how they differ
- talkative
- The everyday word; it is neutral and much more common than 'loquacious'.
- chatty
- Informal and friendly; it suggests relaxed small talk rather than fluent speech.
- garrulous
- Stronger and more negative; it suggests talking too much about unimportant things.
Opposites
Word family
- loquacity noun
- The quality of talking a lot.
- loquaciously adverb
- In a talkative or fluent manner.
Commonly confused: a loquacious woman or eloquent? a loquacious woman or loquacious vs. verbose?
a loquacious woman vs eloquent
'Eloquent' means speaking or writing in a clear, persuasive way, not simply talking a lot.
a loquacious woman vs loquacious vs. verbose
'Verbose' means using too many words, especially in writing; 'loquacious' is about a person who talks a lot.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'loquacious' most naturally?
Choose one answer.
'Loquacious' describes someone who talks a lot, so option 1 fits. Option 2 contradicts the meaning, option 3 misuses it for a written report, and option 4 is illogical because a silent retreat would make someone less talkative.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “a loquacious woman”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.