discoursed

Talked at length

Discoursed is the past tense of discourse, meaning to speak or write at length on a subject.

The verb suggests formal or extended treatment rather than casual conversation: He discoursed on the history of maritime law for nearly an hour.

Someone who has discoursed has held forth, often with authority or at tedious length.

oration

lectured

Spoke formally to instruct

preachedDelivered religious discourse
speechifiedGave pompous oration
oratedGave a formal address

declaimed · sermonized · expounded · pronounced · proclaimed · addressed · harangued · pontificated · keynoted · monologued

conversation

discussed

Talked about thoroughly

conversedSpoke with another
talkedCommunicated verbally
dialoguedHeld mutual conversation

communed · conferred · exchanged · chatted · parleyed · consulted · colloquy · dialogue · tête-à-tête · confabulated

debate

argued

Disputed verbally

disputedArgued over, unresolved
contendedCompeted against others
deliberatedThought carefully before deciding

debated · reasoned · controverted · refuted · rebutted · opposed · dialectic · polemic · disputation · argumentation

Opposites

communication style/depth

discoursedchit-chatted

Spoke about trivialities

chatted · quipped · bantered · prattled · gabbed

verbal engagement

discoursedsaid nothing

kept quiet · clammed up · listened · fell silent · buttoned up

Phrases

civil discourseRespectful exchange of views
online discourseDiscussion conducted via internet
direct discourseExact words cited
public discourseOpen societal conversation
political discourseDiscussion of government matters
civic discourseCollective conversation about governance

Family

discourse, discourses, discoursing

Familiarity: Top 500,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Abstract · Everyday, not technical · Rated G