long-winded
Americanadjective
-
talking or writing at tedious length.
long-winded after-dinner speakers.
-
continued to a tedious length in speech or writing.
another of his long-winded election speeches.
-
able to breathe deeply; not tiring easily.
adjective
-
tiresomely long
-
capable of energetic activity without becoming short of breath
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of long-winded
First recorded in 1580–90
Explanation
Someone who's long-winded takes way too long to tell a story or give a speech. Once your long-winded history teacher gets started on an anecdote about the Civil War, everyone in the class sighs deeply. A long-winded explanation is one that uses many words when just a few would do. And your grandfather's long-winded toasts before Thanksgiving dinner inevitably end in everyone's food getting cold before they can start eating it. An older meaning of this word was "able to do something for a long time without losing one's breath," but the modern definition dates from the 1580s, when it specifically meant "given to lengthy speeches."
Vocabulary lists containing long-winded
Idioms and Expressions, List 4
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Idioms and Expressions, List 4
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Idioms and Expressions, List 4
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She added that she would "probably need to sit with a therapist", saying that "this is a long-winded way of saying I am not OK".
From BBC ● May 29, 2026
“This is such a roundabout, long-winded way of doing a rejection,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 11, 2026
Meredith is long-winded and short-sighted, unable to take a hint, let alone relax.
From Salon ● Oct. 15, 2025
And awards night host Nate Bargatze implored winners to keep their long-winded speeches snappy with a running gag that saw his charity donation docked if speech-givers went over their allotted time.
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2025
Mrs. Walton is talking in one long-winded breath and doesn’t even come up for air.
From "Like Vanessa" by Tami Charles
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
