Definition
Purple prose is writing so ornate, melodramatic, or overloaded with adjectives that style overwhelms clarity and emotional truth.
Example
"The cerulean orb of day descended upon the verdant meadow of sorrow" reads as purple prose when simpler language would carry the moment.
Related terms
Common mistakes
- Calling any lyrical sentence purple prose without checking whether it serves the scene.
- Adding fancy words to sound literary while the action and stakes stay vague.