Verbiage vs. Verbage

Verbiage

Verbosity or verboseness is speech or writing that uses more words than necessary (for example, using “Despite the fact that” instead of “Although”). The opposite of verbosity is plain language. Some teachers, including the author of The Elements of Style, warn writers not to be verbose. Similarly, some authors, including Mark Twain and Ernest Hemingway, are known for their avoidance of verbosity.

Synonyms for verbosity include wordiness, verbiage, prolixity, grandiloquence, garrulousness, expatiation, logorrhea, and sesquipedalianism. Slang terms such as verbal diarrhea also refer to the practice.

Examples of verbosity are common in political speech, academic prose, and other genres.

Verbiage (noun)

excessively lengthy or technical speech or writing

“the basic idea here, despite all the verbiage, is simple”

“there is plenty of irrelevant verbiage”

Verbiage (noun)

the way in which something is expressed; wording or diction

“we need to look at how the rule should be applied, based on the verbiage”