Meaning & use
circumlocution
The use of many indirect words to express something that could be said more simply and directly.
See it in a sentence
His answer was full of circumlocution, and he never actually admitted the mistake.
She cut through his circumlocution and asked directly whether he agreed.
A note on using this word
"Circumlocution" often implies deliberate vagueness, especially to avoid a direct or uncomfortable answer.
Words with a similar meaning
wordinessevasion
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
directness
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