My definition of verbal obesity is when a sentence or paragraph has excessive detail, redundant pairs and modifiers, high language, and using a phrase for a word.

Example 1 (excessive detail)
1a) A microwave oven that you might buy in any department store uses less energy that is so expensive than a conventional oven that uses gas or electricity.
1b) Microwave ovens use less energy than conventional ovens.

Example 2 (redundant pairs and modifiers)
2a) If and when we are able to finish our final project, each and every one of the members of our group will be thrilled and excited!
2b) Once we've completed our project, our group will be happy.

2c) In the world we live in today, extremely liberal people mostly affiliate themselves with the democratic party.
2d) Today, extreme liberals tend to be democrats.

Example 3 (high language)
3a) You must endeavor to facilitate their congnizance of the deleterious result of excessive sesquipedalianism.
3b) You have to help them realize that big words have can have bad results.

Example4 (using a phrase for a word)
4a) It was possible that they had a chance at winning the game prior to the fumble.
4b) They could have won the game before the fumble.