verbalism
Words without substance
A verbalism is an expression or phrase, especially one that's empty or lacks real substance.
The term often carries a dismissive tone—suggesting words without meaning behind them: His speech was full of lofty verbalisms but offered no concrete plan.
Verbalism can also refer to excessive attention to words at the expense of ideas or realities.
Tedious lengthiness in speech
- circumlocutionIndirect, wordy expression
- redundancyNeedless duplication
- tautologyRedundant or circular statement
- pleonasmRedundant expression
garrulity · logorrhea · diffuseness · windiness · rambling · long-windedness · wordiness · superfluity
Written symbol or message
- literalnessAdherence to precise meaning
- precise languageExact, unambiguous expression
- word-for-wordExactly as stated
- verbatimIn identical wording
exact wording · strict interpretation · textual · literal reading · pedantry · technicality · hairsplitting · quibbling
Fixed period or word
- phraseWords forming partial meaning
- expressionConveyed thought or feeling
- wordingSpecific language chosen
- phrasingManner of expressing something
locution · turn of phrase · idiom · usage · parlance · jargon · nomenclature · lexicon
Persuasive verbal grace
- rhetoricArt of persuasive language
- oratoryFormal eloquent discourse
- elocutionFormal speaking skill
- articulationClear vocal expression
diction · fluency · persuasion · grandiloquence · bombast · magniloquence · declamation · speechmaking
prolixity
Tedious lengthiness in speech
- circumlocutionIndirect, wordy expression
- redundancyNeedless duplication
- tautologyRedundant or circular statement
pleonasm · garrulity · logorrhea · diffuseness · windiness · rambling · long-windedness · wordiness · superfluity · discursiveness
letter
Written symbol or message
- literalnessAdherence to precise meaning
- precise languageExact, unambiguous expression
- word-for-wordExactly as stated
exact wording · verbatim · strict interpretation · textual · literal reading · pedantry · technicality · hairsplitting · quibbling · semantics
term
Fixed period or word
- phraseWords forming partial meaning
- expressionConveyed thought or feeling
- wordingSpecific language chosen
phrasing · locution · turn of phrase · idiom · usage · parlance · jargon · nomenclature · lexicon · phraseology
eloquence
Persuasive verbal grace
articulation · diction · fluency · persuasion · grandiloquence · bombast · magniloquence · declamation · speechmaking · wordcraft
verbalismsubstance
Physical material with mass
meaningfulness · substantiveness · depth · profundity · content
verbalismbrevity
Shortness of expression
conciseness · succinctness · terseness · concision · pithiness
verbalismaction
Process of doing
practice · demonstration · nonverbal communication · showing · doing