adjective
-
of great weight; heavy; huge
-
(esp of movement) lacking ease or lightness; awkward, lumbering, or graceless
-
dull or laborious
a ponderous oration
Other Word Forms
- nonponderosity noun
- nonponderous adjective
- nonponderously adverb
- nonponderousness noun
- overponderous adjective
- overponderously adverb
- overponderousness noun
- ponderosity noun
- ponderously adverb
- ponderousness noun
- unponderous adjective
- unponderously adverb
- unponderousness noun
Etymology
Origin of ponderous
1375–1425; late Middle English (< Middle French ponderos, pondereuse ) < Latin ponderōsus. See ponder, -ous
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.
Asked about the characterization of European initiatives to boost growth as slow and ponderous, Lancastle argues this is no longer valid.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 16, 2026
Few sports topics are as reliably ponderous, full of arid data, self-importance and opinions that only make sense to the voters holding them.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 28, 2026
Despite Chelsea's territorial dominance, their fans began to grow frustrated at their ponderous passing and failure to put Wolves to the sword.
From Barron's • Nov. 8, 2025
But, he said, when they managed to keep the tempo down "everyone was bored to tears" by the halfway point, and the track became "slow and ponderous".
From BBC • May 22, 2025
A trumpet blast sent the horsemen forward at a ponderous walk, splashing down into the current.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
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.
