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 scholastic—
B. N. Cardozo
B. 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
: a word that combines characteristics of a verb with those of a noun or adjective compare gerund, infinitive, participle
Synonyms
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 WebJason Hennessey, Rolling Stone, 5 Apr. 2024
Pinegar and the other witness approached the truck and got into a verbal argument with Battle.
—Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 4 Apr. 2024
In a statement, Petersburg police said shots were fired among what appeared to be a group of men in a verbal argument.
—Thania Garcia, Variety, 3 Apr. 2024
Something as simple as verbal recognition goes a long way, but try to celebrate growth in significant ways, too.
—Lydia Vargo, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Brown and Monk address verbal dust up There was a moment late in Thursday’s loss to the lowly Wizards in which Brown and Monk appeared to be at odds, which has been a somewhat regular occurrence throughout the season.
—Chris Biderman, Sacramento Bee, 24 Mar. 2024
The three people involved in the case were known to each other and had verbal disputes in the past, officials said, but authorities were still investigating their relationships.
—Olivia Diaz, Washington Post, 23 Mar. 2024
Anne Christiansen-Bullers, a county spokesperson, also said Sherman and the county’s legal department have received verbal requests for ballot destruction.
—Sarah Ritter, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024
The documentary showed footage of two of Galliano’s verbal attacks, and gives space to one victim, Philippe Virgitti, who was on the receiving end of the designer's vitriol in a bar in Paris in 2011.
—Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 21 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Some people prefer to play supportive roles and may feel embarrassed by being thanked in front of a team, while others may need regular verbal recognition from their leaders.
—Jason Hennessey, Rolling Stone, 5 Apr. 2024
Pinegar and the other witness approached the truck and got into a verbal argument with Battle.
—Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 4 Apr. 2024
In a statement, Petersburg police said shots were fired among what appeared to be a group of men in a verbal argument.
—Thania Garcia, Variety, 3 Apr. 2024
Something as simple as verbal recognition goes a long way, but try to celebrate growth in significant ways, too.
—Lydia Vargo, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Brown and Monk address verbal dust up There was a moment late in Thursday’s loss to the lowly Wizards in which Brown and Monk appeared to be at odds, which has been a somewhat regular occurrence throughout the season.
—Chris Biderman, Sacramento Bee, 24 Mar. 2024
The three people involved in the case were known to each other and had verbal disputes in the past, officials said, but authorities were still investigating their relationships.
—Olivia Diaz, Washington Post, 23 Mar. 2024
Anne Christiansen-Bullers, a county spokesperson, also said Sherman and the county’s legal department have received verbal requests for ballot destruction.
—Sarah Ritter, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024
The documentary showed footage of two of Galliano’s verbal attacks, and gives space to one victim, Philippe Virgitti, who was on the receiving end of the designer's vitriol in a bar in Paris in 2011.
—Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 21 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'verbal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near verbal
Cite this Entry
“Verbal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/verbal. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
verbal
2 of 2 noun
: a word that combines characteristics of a verb with those of a noun or adjective
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