1
as in boring
causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest
fell asleep during the ponderous speech
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in massive
having great weight
those ponderous pachyderms more commonly known as elephants
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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ponderous
There is the ponderous march of normalcy and daily life.
—
Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
The problem is that Congress changing fundamental statutes is a ponderous process ill suited to administering foreign policy in a dynamic global economy.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
Where the ponderous fire-roads invited a slow, deliberate pace to space our kidneys, the combination of hilly terrain and a slick surface demanded a more extemporaneous approach to conserving momentum.
—Byron Hurd, The Drive, 22 Jan. 2026
The boogie-woogie vibe instilled by Federici’s jangly piano pegs it as a pool hall hit rather than the headphones-listening and ponderous nature of the original.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ponderous
Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
The problem is that Congress changing fundamental statutes is a ponderous process ill suited to administering foreign policy in a dynamic global economy.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
Where the ponderous fire-roads invited a slow, deliberate pace to space our kidneys, the combination of hilly terrain and a slick surface demanded a more extemporaneous approach to conserving momentum.
—Byron Hurd, The Drive, 22 Jan. 2026
The boogie-woogie vibe instilled by Federici’s jangly piano pegs it as a pool hall hit rather than the headphones-listening and ponderous nature of the original.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ponderous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ponderous
Adjective
-
Never gets boring, never feels overplayed.—
Brian Hiatt,
Rolling Stone,
1 May 2026
-
Pool, sauna, indoor fireplace, luggage drop-off, backyard With so much history and color around every corner in Marrakesh, why stay somewhere boring?—
Erika Owen,
Architectural Digest,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The company, which operates AMC, Shudder and BBC America, among other outlets,has no massive deal ready to unveil that will put it in cahoots with the NFL or Major League Baseball.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
30 Apr. 2026
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In the aftermath of 9/11, the country also experienced a massive surge in Islamophobia, with FBI data indicating anti-Muslim hate crimes skyrocketed by 1,600% in 2001.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Perugino’s compositions tend to be clumsy in their parallels—two people on the left, two people on the right—and the skin typically looks like candle wax.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The collapse of the talks wasn’t the fault of bad faith or clumsy diplomacy.—
Farah N. Jan,
The Conversation,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Banchero up-and-down The Magic superstar forward got off to a slow start by opening 1-for-6 from the field, including missing his first four 3-pointers.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 May 2026
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More Americans are heading into retirement without a pension, and are instead leaning on savings accounts and investment portfolios that have become increasingly subject to market swings and the slow erosion of inflation.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
Without him, Heiskanen and Harley had to log even heavier minutes in an already long and grueling game.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Drivers on San Francisco's west side faced heavy congestion this weekend as crews began a series of lane closures along busy 19th Avenue, also known as State Route 1.—
Da Lin,
CBS News,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Rio de Janeiro mayor Eduardo Cavaliere made headlines earlier this year by banning Chappell Roan from ever performing at the concert after the singer had an awkward encounter with the stepdaughter of Brazilian soccer player Jorginho.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
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The White House Correspondents’ Association dinner is one of Washington’s enduring, if somewhat awkward, rituals.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Flimsy nozzles crack and leak, and heavy-duty nozzles get tiring to hold when your garden calls for more watering time than your hands can handle.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
10 Apr. 2026
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Swift herself talked about how tiring the tour was and what her plans for the future were last October on BBC Radio 1 with Greg James.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But the point stands that the means to make a movie—once cumbersome and expensive—now fits in the palm of your hand.—
Dennis Lim,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Unfortunately, clear aquarium-style cages can be heavy and cumbersome to move.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ponderous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ponderous. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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