Periphrasis and Pithiness
Opposite meaning words
Periphrasis
Periphrasis noun - The use of too many words to express an idea.
Usage example: congressional hearings into the Watergate scandal were marked by an orgy of periphrasis, the expression “at this point in time” being a memorable example
Pithiness is an antonym for periphrasis.
Pithiness
Pithiness noun - The quality or state of being marked by or using only few words to convey much meaning.
Usage example: the memorable pithiness of Calvin Coolidge's campaign announcement: “I do not choose to run for President in 1928”
Periphrasis is an antonym for pithiness.
Cite this Source
Pithiness and Periphrasis. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 15, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/periphrasis/pithiness
Periphrasis & Pithiness. N.p., 2016. Web. 15 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/periphrasis/pithiness>.
Pithiness or Periphrasis. 2016. Accessed August 15, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/periphrasis/pithiness.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "periphrasis" and "pithiness" have occurred on timeline