Circumlocution | Definition & Examples

Circumlocution means using more words than are necessary to communicate meaning. It is not intrinsically bad or good, depending on its purpose and effect. It can be used to help soften the blow of bad news, obscure the truth, or be evasive.

What is circumlocution?

Circumlocution is also called “periphrasis.” It comes from combining two words from Latin: “circum” meaning “around,” (which we also find in “circumference,” “circumnavigation,” and “circle”) and “locutio,” meaning “utterance” (less common, but present in “elocution”).

This gives us the basic meaning of “talking around,” where we use more words than needed to communicate the essential meaning of what we want to say. Sometimes circumlocution is used as an embellishment; much of literature would be shorter and less interesting if the author avoided circumlocution.

On the other hand, circumlocution can be a negative device, obscuring meaning or evading the truth.

The use of circumlocution to obscure or confuse can also be used for comic effect. The tendency of civil servants to obfuscate was consistently satirized by Anthony Jay and Jonathan Lynn in the television series Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister.

Here, Sir Humphrey Appleby, as senior civil servant, is trying to tell the minister he will no longer be working for him: “The relationship which I might tentatively venture to aver has been not without some degree of reciprocal utility and perhaps even occasional gratification, is approaching a point of irreversible bifurcation and, to be brief, is in the propinquity of its ultimate regrettable termination.”

This is, of course, exaggerated for comic effect, but it is a wonderful example of circumlocution.

Why is circumlocution used?

As we have seen, circumlocution can be positive or negative, and this is seen in the variety of purposes it serves. Some reasons for using it include:

• For descriptive purposes. The writer’s craft will often involve using circumlocution to flesh out a description to have an increased effect on the reader. When Thomas Harris describes an unnamed fear in his character Jack Crawford in The Silence of the Lambs, he doesn’t say, “Crawford was scared.” Instead we read this: “Fear brushed the walls of his chest, circling inside him like a bat in a house.” This simile relies on circumlocution to conjunct up Crawford’s feelings.
• For evasive purposes. We might not want to give a “straight answer,” especially if it paints us in a negative light. Instead of saying “I didn’t reply to the email,” an evasive answer might say, “I’m afraid that, although the email is a high priority for me, it has, as yet, not been possible for me to give it the attention it deserves.”
• For euphemistic purposes. Hard news, for instance notifying someone of the death of a loved one, might often involve circumlocution. And even after the shock of the news, we have many circumlocutionary ways of referring to death: “passed,” “passed away,” “fallen asleep,” “passed on,” etc.
• To cover holes in vocabulary. Some migraine sufferers, for example, might “lose” words. They might describe “the vehicle we drive with 5 seats and a steering wheel” but be utterly unable to call the word “car” to mind. Language-learners might also need circumlocution to describe something when they don’t know (or have forgotten) the correct word. For example, if you experience a flat tire while traveling in France and can’t recall the precise word (“crevaison”), you can get by with the circumlocution “mon pneu est en panne” (“my tire has broken down”). It’s not strictly correct, but communicates the meaning well enough.

Examples of circumlocution

Circumlocution is often found in literature, where the purpose isn’t always concision but painting a full picture. It can also be part of the plot direction or character.

In specialized fields of knowledge, circumlocution can be seen as the opposite of jargon. Jargon is often criticized because it can exclude nonspecialists from the discourse, but it is a useful shorthand for experts. Circumlocutions can make the discourse more inclusive, if slightly longer.

Frequently asked questions about circumlocution

What is a synonym for circumlocution?

There are several synonyms for circumlocution including:

• Beat about the bush
• Periphrasis
• Verbosity
• Prolixity
• Waffle
• Equivocation
• Evasion
• Prevarication

It’s worth checking their precise meaning in context to make sure you are reflecting the sense you want to convey. The Scribbr Paraphrasing Tool is a useful way of making sure you have a good synonym for circumlocution.

How can I use circumlocution in a sentence?

Here are some examples of circumlocution in a sentence:

• Jeff’s problem in meetings was his tendency toward circumlocution; he had to talk around the subject rather than coming to the point.
• The challenge when interviewing politicians is their love of circumlocution instead of direct speaking.
• Liars often use circumlocution to hide their untruths; paradoxically, this is often the most obvious sign of their deceit to the listener.

These are all ways of using circumlocution in a sentence. The Scribbr Grammar Checker can help ensure you’re using words like circumlocution correctly.

What are some examples of circumlocution?

Circumlocution can be used in several ways, and for a variety of purposes.

Circumlocution for descriptive writing: “a road neither straight nor crooked, neither level nor hilly, bordered by hedges, trees, and other vegetation, which had entered the blackened-green stage of colour that the doomed leaves pass through on their way to dingy, and yellow, and red.”

This description of the countryside in Thomas Hardy’s The Mayor of Casterbridge is quite wordy, but this serves two purposes. First of all, it captures the particular look of the setting he describes to enable the reader to picture the scene. Secondly, the leisurely description matches the measured pace of the characters in this opening chapter.

Circumlocution for evasion: “You see, this is a complicated problem with many angles, and before making a final decision, it’s vital to take into account all points of view. To arrive at a solution that best serves the interests of the people, my administration is dedicated to thoroughly reviewing all relevant evidence and having meaningful conversations with stakeholders.”

Politicians are well known for using circumlocution to avoid giving direct, definitive answers.

The Scribbr Paraphrasing Tool can help you vary the length and style of your sentences.