long-winded

American  

[lawng-win-did, long-] / ˈlɔŋˈwɪn dɪd, ˈlɒŋ- /

adjective

1. talking or writing at tedious length.

   long-winded after-dinner speakers.

2. continued to a tedious length in speech or writing.

   another of his long-winded election speeches.

3. able to breathe deeply; not tiring easily.

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long-winded British  

adjective

1. tiresomely long

2. capable of energetic activity without becoming short of breath

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Other Word Forms

• long-windedly adverb
• long-windedness noun

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."

Example Sentences

It also writes instructions on the kind of responses you prefer: less enthusiastic writing, perhaps, or bullet points instead of long-winded paragraphs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

For troubleshooting tech and getting how-to’s for basic home improvements, some of my interviewees found ChatGPT gets to the root of the question quicker than long-winded YouTube videos.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 25, 2025

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

All her classmates are complaining about it—Bronte’s protracted digressions about human nature, the subplots about Jane’s friends at Lowood School, the long-winded, “unrealistic” dialogue.

From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline

Related Words

• chatty
• loquacious
• rambling