verbalize

verb

ver·​bal·​ize ˈvər-bə-ˌlīz 

verbalized; verbalizing

intransitive verb

1

: to express something in words

2

: to speak or write verbosely

transitive verb

1

: to name or express in words

2

: to convert into a verb

verbalization

ˌvər-bə-lə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

verbalizer

ˈvər-bə-ˌlī-zər 

noun

Synonyms

• articulate
• bring out
• enunciate
• pass
• say
• speak
• state
• talk
• tell
• utter
• vocalize

Examples of verbalize in a Sentence

She didn't know how to verbalize her feelings.

couldn't quite verbalize the cause of his mental distress

Recent Examples on the Web

But there’s usually no book talking about this, and no one verbalizes where people should be sitting. —Michael Hudson, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025

One guess is that his songs are much more personal than listeners might think, a lesson Anima verbalizes with a breakdown of multiple tracks from across his career. —Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 15 May 2025

The screenplay, by Moll and Gilles Marchand, prioritizes verbalizing the step-by-step realization of who shot Guillaume and leans on expositional dialogue to move things along. —Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 15 May 2025

Carr understands this on some level, but has too much faith in his coaching staff and teammates to verbalize the possibility of failure. —Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 12 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

verbal entry 1 + -ize, perhaps after French verbaliser

First Known Use

1609, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 2

Rhymes for verbalize

• advertise
• aggrandize
• agonize
• alibis
• alkalies
• alkalis
• amortize
• amplifies
• analyse
• analyze
• anywise
• authorize

Kids Definition

verbalize

verb

ver·​bal·​ize ˈvər-bə-ˌlīz 

verbalized; verbalizing

: to express in words

found it difficult to verbalize her feelings