Circumlocutory

Describing language that is indirect, roundabout, and uses excessive words to express something that could be stated more concisely. It often avoids directly addressing a topic or providing a straightforward answer. The speaker or writer employs a lengthy and convoluted manner of expression, typically to evade, obscure, or be evasive. Often perceived as pretentious, confusing, or even deceptive, the goal is to cloud the issue rather than clarify it.

Circumlocutory meaning with examples

• The politician's response to the scandal was a masterclass in circumlocutory language; he expertly avoided direct answers, preferring to discuss irrelevant details and hypothetical scenarios instead.
• Instead of providing a direct answer, the lawyer's circumlocutory questioning of the witness seemed designed to confuse them and waste the jury's time with unnecessarily complex wording.
• Her rejection of the job offer was delivered with lengthy and circumlocutory prose, filled with expressions of gratitude and vague reasons, making her actual intent difficult to discern at first.
• The instructions were frustratingly circumlocutory; a simple 'turn left' could have sufficed, but instead, the text described an unnecessarily elaborate sequence of landmarks to pass before proceeding.
• Reading through the government report felt laborious, thanks to the committee’s circumlocutory writing style that failed to capture vital, necessary information in an efficient and concise manner.