Practice
Loquacious: meaning, tone, and examples in English
Sign in to saveAfter a long train journey, Elena says, 'The passenger beside me was very loquacious.' Her companion understands that the passenger talked a lot. Whether Elena enjoyed the conversation depends on the rest of what she says.
Understand loquacious as a formal adjective for someone who talks a lot, choose a tone that fits the context, and use it naturally in a sentence.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
loquacious /ləˈkweɪʃəs/
The short answer
Use loquacious to describe someone who talks a great deal. It is more formal than talkative or chatty. A warm context can make it sound appreciative, while an impatient context can suggest that the person talks more than the listener wants.
Our loquacious guide answered every question during the museum visit.
Why it works: The sentence presents a helpful person who spoke often and shared useful information.
5 more examples
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The loquacious host made sure that every new guest had someone to talk to.
The context is positive because the host uses conversation to include people.
Not this:The
quiet hostmade sure that every new guest had someone to talk to. What changes: Quiet describes a different amount of speech. It does not mean that the host talks a lot. -
My normally loquacious cousin became silent when the interview began.
Normally shows that the cousin usually talks a lot, so the silence is unusual.
Not this:My
normally reserved cousinbecame silent when the interview began. What changes: Reserved suggests that the cousin usually speaks less, so the silence is less surprising. -
The report described the mayor as loquacious but well prepared.
But separates the amount of speaking from the quality of the preparation.
Not this:The report described the mayor as
brief and well prepared. What changes: Brief means using few words. It gives the opposite idea about the amount of speech. -
The loquacious caller kept the support worker on the phone for twenty minutes.
The length of the call gives the adjective a mildly critical tone.
Not this:The
concise callerexplained the problem in two minutes. What changes: Concise means using few words without losing the necessary information. -
In her memoir, the author gives a loquacious account of family dinners.
Here the adjective describes writing that contains a lot of talk or detail.
Not this:In her memoir, the author gives a
short accountof family dinners. What changes: Short focuses on length. Loquacious suggests many words and a talk-filled style.
Read the full guide
First, decide whether you need a formal word for a person who talks a lot. If you do, loquacious may fit. Then use the rest of the sentence to show whether the amount of talk is welcome, amusing, tiring, or simply a fact.
Start with the amount of talking
Loquacious describes someone who tends to talk a lot. It focuses on quantity. Before you choose it, ask whether you want to say that a person speaks often or at length. The adjective does not by itself judge the ideas in the conversation.
The loquacious neighbor knew the names of everyone on the street.
The sentence says that the neighbor talks a lot. It does not say whether the neighbor is right about everything.
Does loquacious describe someone who talks a lot or someone who listens a lot?
It describes someone who talks a lot.
Use the formal register
Loquacious is more formal than talkative. You might use it in an essay, profile, review, or careful conversation. In a quick message to a friend, talkative is often more natural. The meaning is close, but the register is different.
The reviewer called the presenter loquacious and energetic.
A review can use a formal descriptive word. In a casual message, you could say that the presenter was very talkative.
Which word is usually more natural in a casual text message: loquacious or talkative?
Talkative is usually more natural because it is the everyday word.
Let the context set the tone
The adjective can be positive, neutral, or mildly critical. A loquacious teacher who answers learners' questions may be helpful. A loquacious guest who prevents others from speaking may be tiring. Look for nearby details before deciding how the writer feels.
The loquacious librarian recommended three books to each visitor.
Recommending books gives the description a friendly, helpful tone.
The loquacious guest interrupted every answer at dinner.
Interrupting others gives the same adjective a critical tone.
Place the adjective naturally
Use loquacious before a noun or after be and similar linking verbs. These two patterns are straightforward: a loquacious speaker and The speaker was loquacious. Avoid using it as an adverb. Say spoke at length or talked a lot if you need to describe the action.
A loquacious customer asked careful questions about the contract.
The adjective comes before customer and describes the person.
The customer was loquacious during the appointment.
After was, loquacious still describes the customer.
Choose a nearby word when needed
Talkative is the plain general alternative. Chatty is informal and can sound friendly. Verbose usually criticizes speech or writing for using more words than necessary. Concise means brief and clear. Choose the word that matches both the amount of language and the tone you mean.
Her talkative child asked questions all afternoon.
Talkative gives the same basic idea in simpler, everyday language.
Which word usually suggests that writing uses too many words: loquacious or verbose?
Verbose usually suggests that the writing uses more words than necessary.
Before you go
Remember this
Loquacious means talking a lot. It is a formal adjective that often describes a person. The context tells the reader whether the talk feels helpful, friendly, tiring, or neutral. Use it in a sentence when a more formal alternative to talkative fits the situation.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Loquacious: meaning, tone, and examples in English"
What does loquacious mean?
Loquacious means tending to talk a lot. It usually describes a person, although it can also describe speech or writing that uses many words.
The loquacious host made sure that every new guest had someone to talk to.
Is loquacious positive or negative?
Loquacious can be neutral, positive, or mildly critical. The surrounding context tells you whether the speaker appreciates the amount of talk or finds it tiring.
The quiet host made sure that every new guest had someone to talk to.
Is loquacious formal?
Yes. Loquacious is more formal than talkative and appears often in writing, reviews, and careful descriptions. Talkative is usually easier in everyday conversation.
My normally loquacious cousin became silent when the interview began.
What is the difference between loquacious and verbose?
Loquacious usually describes a person who talks a lot. Verbose often describes speech or writing that uses more words than necessary, so it is more likely to be critical.
My normally reserved cousin became silent when the interview began.
How do you pronounce loquacious?
Pronounce loquacious as luh-KWAY-shus. The stress falls on the second syllable.
The report described the mayor as loquacious but well prepared.