1
as in boring
causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest
fell asleep during the ponderous speech
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in massive
having great weight
those ponderous pachyderms more commonly known as elephants
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in clumsy
difficult to use or operate especially because of size, weight, or design
lugged a ponderous movie camera all over China
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ponderous
Credit to Slot and the players for increasing the tempo of the game since that half with quicker passes and less ponderous buildup.
—
Gregg Evans, The Athletic, 23 Jan. 2025
What happens to the victims is swept under the rug, but the number of traumatized, law abiding citizens paying a dear price now under that rug is becoming a ponderous digit.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 3 Jan. 2025
Both seasons tackle a wide range of pressing social issues (inequality of wealth, prejudice, capitalism, consumerism) without being ponderous.
—Tom Gliatto, People.com, 26 Dec. 2024
And when the outcome is slow, ponderous and predictable, the risk to set up in that shape becomes even less worth taking.
—Thom Harris, The Athletic, 22 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for ponderous
Gregg Evans, The Athletic, 23 Jan. 2025
What happens to the victims is swept under the rug, but the number of traumatized, law abiding citizens paying a dear price now under that rug is becoming a ponderous digit.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 3 Jan. 2025
Both seasons tackle a wide range of pressing social issues (inequality of wealth, prejudice, capitalism, consumerism) without being ponderous.
—Tom Gliatto, People.com, 26 Dec. 2024
And when the outcome is slow, ponderous and predictable, the risk to set up in that shape becomes even less worth taking.
—Thom Harris, The Athletic, 22 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for ponderous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ponderous
Adjective
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Anything that isn’t someone bleeding out is boring to them, that kind of thing.—
Maria Fontoura,
Rolling Stone,
5 Apr. 2025
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But here, it’s all viewed through a workplace-comedy format, which captures the kind of boring ordinariness of typical medical care while also getting at some of the big frustrations of understaffing.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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May is the first month where the adjustments are seeing massive swings.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
10 Apr. 2025
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There was a feeling that the country was coming out of a massive crisis and that global institutions had a responsibility to help rebuild the country, strengthen its healthcare system, and make sure an outbreak like this could never happen again.—
The Dial,
The Dial,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Unlike clumsier species that struggle with obstacles, the black mamba leverages every surface with surgical precision, effectively turning the landscape into a series of launchpads.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
29 Mar. 2025
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There’s also a touching subplot for the clumsy, muted Dopey (Andrew Barth Feldman), who’s regularly the butt of the other dwarfs’ jokes.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA TODAY,
21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The shark’s slow movement may have allowed the octopus to stay latched on, but if the mako had picked up speed, the octopus likely would have been forced off.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
1 Apr. 2025
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While the dollar amount of initial aid is in line with what the U.S. has pledged in the past, the overall pace of the response has been slower.—
Shannon K. Kingston,
ABC News,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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At the same time crews were battling the blaze, overnight storms intensified, bringing heavy rains and wind along with lightning, officials said.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Apr. 2025
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There’s a heavy proportion of viewers that aren’t being captured by the metrics.—
Shane Young,
Forbes.com,
5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Michelle Williams truly showed how to remain graceful under pressure this weekend as she was put in an awkward situation mid-air.—
Amber Corrine,
VIBE.com,
7 Apr. 2025
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Those who tried—in good faith or not—to come up with such a plan for Shoreham had to contend with Long Island’s awkward geography.—
Elizabeth Kolbert,
New Yorker,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Of course, going from shows to pickleball classes to after-hours jam sessions at B.B. King’s Blues Club can be tiring.—
DeMarco Williams,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
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Sanchez added a selfie from bed, sharing how tiring her pregnancy is.—
Charna Flam,
People.com,
7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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As legal professionals gain increasing authority over AI deployment decisions, new internal stakeholders are introduced, making the organizational process of adopting AI systems more cumbersome.—
Nizan Geslevich Packin,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
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Like so many others, they are left with an impossible choice: involve the criminal justice system — which may be slow, cumbersome and invasive — or do nothing and hope the situation doesn’t escalate.—
Eric Gonzalez,
New York Daily News,
26 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ponderous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ponderous. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
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