long-winded

adjective

long-wind·​ed ˌlȯŋ-ˈwin-dəd How to pronounce long-winded (audio)
ˈlȯŋ-ˌwin-
1
: tediously long in speaking or writing
2
: not easily subject to loss of breath
long-windedly adverb
long-windedness noun

Examples of long-winded in a Sentence

his long-winded explanation could have been boiled down to two sentences
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
All of this is a vaguely long-winded way of making a simple point — the outlook for Wolves’ defence has changed dramatically over the course of this season. Steve Madeley, The Athletic, 14 Mar. 2025 That's an extremely long-winded way of saying that the Spore Drive allows a starship to miraculously materialize somewhere else light-years away. Richard Edwards, Space.com, 14 Mar. 2025 Commit to the vocal rest and skip the long-winded interviews. Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025 Cut the fluff and long-winded explications, which dilute the message and reach the point. Jason Walker Psyd, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025 Which is all a long-winded way of saying that whilst Bayern's recent form has been very disappointing, there is hope. Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, The Athletic, 18 Feb. 2025 Routh reportedly gave long-winded answers that didn’t directly address the questions. Louis Casiano, Fox News, 12 Feb. 2025 After a few long-winded speeches, the storied Tropicana Hotel is being imploded! R29 Team, refinery29.com, 10 Feb. 2025 Ask Why Leaders and their teams are exhausted after long-winded meetings. Stacey Hanke, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of long-winded was in 1578

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Long-winded.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/long-winded. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

long-winded

adjective
long-wind·​ed
ˈlȯŋ-ˈwin-dəd
: boringly long in speaking or writing
long-windedly adverb
long-windedness noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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