Definition

1. Noun:
   • An overabundance of words; wordiness: The use of more words than are needed, often resulting in a verbose or unnecessarily lengthy expression.
   • A verbal expression; a phrase or wording: The particular choice or arrangement of words used to express an idea or belief.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The essay's weakness was its tedious verbalism, obscuring the core argument.
  • Finding the precise verbalism for such a complex emotion was challenging.

Advanced Usage

• As a critique of style: Often used to criticize speech or writing that is perceived as empty, overly concerned with words over substance, or excessively formal.
  • The politician's speech was dismissed as mere verbalism, lacking any concrete policy.
• In art criticism: Can refer to an overemphasis on descriptive or narrative elements at the expense of visual or sensory impact.
  • The critic accused the painter of verbalism, saying the work relied too heavily on its explanatory title.

Variants and Related Words

• Verbal (adj): Relating to or in the form of words.
• Verbalist (n): A person skilled in using words, or one who adheres strictly to the literal meaning of words.
• Verbalize (v): To express something in words.

Synonyms

• Verbosity: The quality of using more words than needed.
• Prolixity: Extended to great, unnecessary, or tedious length.
• Phrasing: The particular way an idea is expressed in words.
• Locution: A word or phrase, especially with regard to style or idiom.

Related Phrases

• Empty verbalism: A phrase highlighting the use of words that carry little meaning or substance.
  • The agreement was full of empty verbalisms but no binding commitments.

Related Idioms

• Mere verbalism: Used to dismiss an expression as being only about words without real meaning or action.
  • His apology was seen as mere verbalism, as his behavior did not change.

Noun

1. overabundance of words
2. the communication (in speech or writing) of your beliefs or opinions
   • expressions of good will
   • he helped me find verbal expression for my ideas
   • the idea was immediate but the verbalism took hours