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.
The “inter-titles,” usually ponderous in silent cinema, are fluent and compelling, ensuring a relentless drive that propels the story forward.
It contains lots of instances of its heroine stopping to wonder what everything means, which is another way of saying it’s ponderous and pretentious.
Liverpool were slow, ponderous and lacking in ideas.
From BBC
Some of the biggest obstacles facing Germany’s military planners are intangible: ponderous procurement rules, onerous data protection laws, and other regulations forged in a more peaceful era.
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
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.
