Periphrases

/pəˈɹɪfɹəsiz/

Last Updated: January 2, 2026 at 12:30 PM

Scrabble:18 ptsWWF:19 pts11 letters

Definition of Periphrases

noun

The use of more words than are necessary to express the idea; a roundabout, or indirect, way of speaking; circumlocution.

verb

To express by periphrase or circumlocution.
To use circumlocution.

noun

The use of a longer expression instead of a shorter one with a similar meaning, for example "I am going to" instead of "I will".
Expressing a grammatical meaning (such as a tense) using a syntactic construction rather than morphological marking.
"Language learners sometimes use periphrases like "did go" where a native speaker would use "went"."
The substitution of a descriptive word or phrase for a proper name (a species of circumlocution).
The use of a proper name as a shorthand to stand for qualities associated with it.

Anagrams of Periphrases

Words You Can Make

50 words can be made from the letters in "periphrases":

10-LETTER WORDS

9-LETTER WORDS

apheresis apprisers perhapses periapses perspires pharisees preshapes rephrases reshapers reshipper sapphires

8-LETTER WORDS

appriser apprises asperser aspirers paperers parishes perishes perspire pharisee pheresis praisers prepares prepress preshape preships+16 more

7-LETTER WORDS

aperies apheses aphesis apprise arrises asperse aspirer

Related Word Patterns

PE...Words starting with "pe"...ESWords ending with "es"All 11-letter words Unscramble "periphrases"

Synonyms & Antonyms

SYNONYMS

periphrasisbeating around the bushcircumlocution

Rhyming Words

aardwolves abacuses abalones abamperes abases abashes abates abatises abattises abbacies abbes abbesses abbotcies abbreviates abdicates+5 more

Related Words

pacemakings pacesetters pacesetting pachysandra pacifically pacificator pacificisms pacificists packability packsaddles packthreads paclitaxels paddleballs paddleboard paddleboats