Direct: The meeting was boring.
Circumlocution: The meeting was rather uneventful, to say the least.
Direct: She's a terrible singer.
Circumlocution: Her vocal abilities are... not her strongest asset.
Direct: He's broke.
Circumlocution: He's currently experiencing some financial difficulties.
Direct: He's stubborn.
Circumlocution: He has a strong sense of conviction about his opinions.
Direct: The food was bad.
Circumlocution: The culinary experience left something to be desired.
Explanation:
Circumlocution is the use of many words where fewer would do, especially in a roundabout or indirect way. It can be used for a variety of reasons, including:
* Politeness: To avoid being blunt or offensive.
* Evasion: To avoid saying something directly.
* Emphasis: To highlight a point or create a particular effect.
* Humor: To be funny or ironic.
In the examples above, the circumlocutions are more polite, less direct, and sometimes even more humorous than the direct statements.