# swallow the dictionary

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/swallow-the-dictionary
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To speak using long or obscure words.

## Examples

- He talks like he swallowed the dictionary.
- The professor is so formal that it sounds like he swallowed the dictionary whenever he gives a lecture.
- During the debate, the candidate spoke with such convoluted vocabulary that the audience felt he had swallowed the dictionary just to sound more intelligent.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.