verbal

1 of 2

adjective

ver·​bal ˈvər-bəl How to pronounce verbal (audio)
1
a
: of, relating to, or consisting of words
verbal instructions
b
: of, relating to, or involving words rather than meaning or substance
a consistency that is merely verbal and scholasticB. N. Cardozo
c
: consisting of or using words only and not involving action
verbal abuse
2
: of, relating to, or formed from a verb
a verbal adjective
3
: spoken rather than written
a verbal contract
4
: verbatim, word-for-word
a verbal translation
5
: of or relating to facility in the use and comprehension of words
verbal aptitude

verbal

2 of 2

noun

: a word that combines characteristics of a verb with those of a noun or adjective compare gerund, infinitive, participle

Examples of verbal in a Sentence

Adjective He scored well on the verbal section of the test. They had a verbal exchange. a verbal agreement to finish the work We gave only verbal instructions.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
Two men were stabbed, one of them fatally, when a verbal dispute turned violent inside a downtown Manhattan subway station Saturday evening, cops said. Julian Roberts-Grmela, New York Daily News, 20 July 2025 But the moment quickly dissolves into a verbal ping-pong match between Shamea, Drew, and Porsha—because what’s a reunion without a few more sparks? Shelby Stewart, Essence, 20 July 2025 Without firm protections or clarity on future reimbursement, this budget sets up another round of fiscal instability for institutions that cannot afford to operate on hope and verbal commitments. Heather Somers, Hartford Courant, 20 July 2025 Relative to placebo, curcumin showed improvement in a working memory test, particularly the verbal memory test in males.5 While both fish oil and curcumin had independent effects on cognitive performance, the combination did not seem to result in additional benefits. Ross Phan, Verywell Health, 18 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for verbal

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English verbale, borrowed from Late Latin verbālis, from Latin verbum "word, verb entry 1" + -ālis -al entry 1

Noun

borrowed from New Latin verbālis, noun derivative of Late Latin verbālis verbal entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1530, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of verbal was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Verbal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/verbal. Accessed 26 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

verbal

1 of 2 adjective
ver·​bal ˈvər-bəl How to pronounce verbal (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or consisting of words
verbal instructions
2
: of, relating to, or formed from a verb
a verbal adjective
3
: spoken rather than written
a verbal agreement
verbally adverb

verbal

2 of 2 noun
: a word that combines characteristics of a verb with those of a noun or adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on verbal

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