Ponderous — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈpän-d(ə-)rəs/ pon·der·ous

Meaning & Definition of Ponderous

Ponderous (adjective)

  1. of very great weight
  2. unwieldy or clumsy because of weight and size
  3. oppressively or unpleasantly dull, lifeless

Ponderous (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest

    "fell asleep during the ponderous speech"

    similar: arid, boring, colorless, drab, dreary, drudging, dry, dull, dusty, flat, heavy, ho-hum, humdrum, jading, jejune, leaden, mind-numbing, monochromatic, monotonous, numbing, old, pedestrian, slow, stale, stodgy, stuffy, stupid, tame, tedious, tiresome, tiring, uninteresting, wearisome, weary, wearying
    related: aseptic, barren, blah, dullish, pleasureless, prosaic, prosy, soggy, spiritless, blank, earthbound, gray, inanimate, pallid, pedantic, sterile, suspenseless, undramatic, uneventful, unexciting, unimaginative, uninspiring, unnewsworthy, unrewarding, unsensational, unspectacular, annoying, bothersome, irksome, irritating, longsome, palling, draining, enervating, exhausting, fatiguing, wearing, debilitating, enfeebling, demoralizing, discouraging, disheartening, dispiriting, common, commonplace, ordinary, tepid, unexceptional, unsurprising, vapid, cumbersome, lumbering, plodding, poky
    opposite: absorbing, engaging, engrossing, gripping, interesting, intriguing, involving, riveting
    near: amazing, astonishing, astounding, awesome, eye-opening, fabulous, marvelous, sensational, spectacular, surprising, wonderful, wondrous, animating, breathtaking, electrifying, energizing, enlivening, exciting, exhilarating, galvanizing, hair-raising, inspiring, invigorating, rip-roaring, rousing, stimulating, stirring, thrilling, amusing, diverting, entertaining, moving, poignant, touching, alluring, attracting, attractive, beguiling, bewitching, captivating, charming, enchanting, enthralling, entrancing, fascinating, mesmerizing, spellbinding, suspenseful, arresting, provocative, tantalizing

  2. having great weight

    "those ponderous pachyderms more commonly known as elephants"

    similar: heavy, hefty, massive, weighty
    related: burdensome, leaden, lumpish, bulky, elephantine, massy, outsize, voluminous, overweight, top-heavy, solid, substantial, ultraheavy
    opposite: light, weightless
    near: airy, ethereal, feathery, fluffy, gossamer, gossamery, flimsy, insubstantial, slight, lightweight, undersized, underweight, ultralight, ultralightweight

  3. difficult to use or operate especially because of size, weight, or design

    "lugged a ponderous movie camera all over China"

    similar: awkward, bunglesome, clumsy, clunky, cranky, cumbersome, cumbrous, ungainly, unhandy, unwieldy
    related: uncontrollable, unmanageable, bulky, dinosaurian, dinosauric, elephantine, heavy, hulking, massive, impracticable, impractical
    opposite: handy
    near: functional, practicable, practical, serviceable, useful

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Ponderous

The most common words with a similar meaning to Ponderous:

arid, boring, colorless, drab, dreary, drudging, dry, dull, dusty, flat, heavy, ho-hum, humdrum, jading, jejune, leaden, mind-numbing, monochromatic, monotonous, numbing, old, pedestrian, slow, stale, stodgy, stuffy, stupid, tame, tedious, tiresome, tiring, uninteresting, wearisome, weary, wearying, hefty, massive, weighty, awkward, bunglesome

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Ponderous

Words with the opposite meaning of Ponderous:

absorbing, engaging, engrossing, gripping, interesting, intriguing, involving, riveting, light, weightless, handy

Related Words for Ponderous

aseptic, barren, blah, dullish, pleasureless, prosaic, prosy, soggy, spiritless, blank, earthbound, gray, inanimate, pallid, pedantic, sterile, suspenseless, undramatic, uneventful, unexciting, unimaginative, uninspiring, unnewsworthy, unrewarding, unsensational, unspectacular, annoying, bothersome, irksome, irritating

Near Antonyms of Ponderous

amazing, astonishing, astounding, awesome, eye-opening, fabulous, marvelous, sensational, spectacular, surprising, wonderful, wondrous, animating, breathtaking, electrifying, energizing, enlivening, exciting, exhilarating, galvanizing, hair-raising, inspiring, invigorating, rip-roaring, rousing, stimulating, stirring, thrilling, amusing, diverting

Word Forms of Ponderous

Derived words: ponderously (adverb), ponderousness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Ponderous

Middle English, from Anglo-French ponderus, from Latin ponderosus, from ponder-, pondus weight

First known use: 14th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Ponderous

What does "Ponderous" mean?

"Ponderous" means of very great weight. As an adjective, it is defined as: of very great weight. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Ponderous"?

Other words for "Ponderous" include arid, boring, colorless, drab, dreary, drudging, dry and dull. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Ponderous" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Ponderous"?

There are 120 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Ponderous". Common alternatives include arid, boring, colorless, drab, dreary, drudging, dry, dull, dusty and flat.

What is the opposite of "Ponderous"?

Antonyms of "Ponderous" include absorbing, engaging, engrossing, gripping, interesting, intriguing, involving and riveting. Near antonyms include amazing, astonishing, astounding and awesome.

How do you use "Ponderous" in a sentence?

Examples of "Ponderous" in a sentence: "fell asleep during the ponderous speech"; "those ponderous pachyderms more commonly known as elephants"; "lugged a ponderous movie camera all over China".

Is "Ponderous" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Ponderous" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Ponderous"?

"Ponderous" is pronounced /ˈpän-d(ə-)rəs/ and divided into syllables as pon·der·ous.

What is the origin of the word "Ponderous"?

"Ponderous" comes from Middle English, from Anglo-French ponderus, from Latin ponderosus, from ponder-, pondus weight. First known use: 14th century.