Many debates do tend to be wordy, especially in academic, political, or policy settings. There are several reasons for this:

1. Precision and Coverage

Debaters often try to cover every possible angle of an argument to prevent opponents from exploiting gaps. This leads to long explanations, definitions, and caveats to make their case “airtight.”

> Example: Instead of saying “We should reduce carbon emissions,” a debater might say “We should implement a comprehensive, multi-sectoral carbon reduction policy that integrates both market and regulatory mechanisms to achieve a sustainable decrease in greenhouse gas emissions.”

They’re trying to leave no room for misinterpretation.

2. Strategic Density

In competitive debate formats (like policy or parliamentary debate), participants often speak quickly and use dense, jargon-heavy language to pack in as many arguments as possible. This is sometimes called spreading (short for “speed reading”).

The idea: the more arguments you make, the harder it is for the opponent to refute them all.

3. Cultural and Academic Habits

Debate draws from traditions in law, rhetoric, and academia, where articulate, formal, and evidence-laden speech is valued. Over time, this creates a culture where verbosity signals intelligence or authority — even when brevity might be more persuasive to a general audience.

4. Emotional and Psychological Factors

People in debates often use more words when they feel uncertain, defensive, or passionate — especially in emotionally charged or high-stakes settings. It’s a way to assert control, justify positions, or “win” through verbal dominance.

5. Lack of Listening

Sometimes, debates get wordy simply because participants are more focused on speaking than on understanding. When people don’t really listen, they repeat, elaborate, and over-explain — instead of responding succinctly to what’s actually needed.

In short:

Debates become wordy when the goal shifts from understanding to winning.

When the goal is mutual understanding or peace-building, concise, clear, and empathetic language usually works much better.