1
as in vocal
expressed or communicated by voice
a baby's crying is usually interpreted as an oral expression of distress
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in verbal
made or carried on through speaking rather than in writing
lawyers for the plaintiff will be presenting oral arguments before the Supreme Court next week
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Recent Examples of oral
Scientists think chronic inflammation and changes in the oral microbiome may play a role, but the relationship isn’t yet fully understood.
—
Angela Haupt, Time, 8 May 2026
The state’s highest court issued the order Thursday after hearing oral arguments from both Campbell’s and state Auditor Diana DiZoglio’s offices on Tuesday.
—Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 8 May 2026
During Walker’s oral exams, Stoner exposes his incompetence.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026
He’s nevertheless gone from near-silence at oral arguments to asking the first questions and penning a landmark ruling expanding Second Amendment rights.
—Lindsay Whitehurst, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for oral
Angela Haupt, Time, 8 May 2026
The state’s highest court issued the order Thursday after hearing oral arguments from both Campbell’s and state Auditor Diana DiZoglio’s offices on Tuesday.
—Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 8 May 2026
During Walker’s oral exams, Stoner exposes his incompetence.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026
He’s nevertheless gone from near-silence at oral arguments to asking the first questions and penning a landmark ruling expanding Second Amendment rights.
—Lindsay Whitehurst, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for oral
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oral
Adjective
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Larsson’s vocal performance on the single was commanding, and the song’s replay value was endless.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
11 May 2026
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Yet McIlroy — who has been vocal in the past about LIV — is dialing back his previous criticism of the tour and remaining optimistic about the future should the league fold.—
Anna Lazarus Caplan,
PEOPLE,
11 May 2026
Adjective
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In 2021, researchers at Brown University found that toddlers who were born during the pandemic had significantly lower verbal, motor and overall cognitive performance compared to toddlers born in the previous decade.—
Stacker,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
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The confrontation reportedly stemmed from a verbal argument that escalated inside the store.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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For spoken replies, the builder used Piper, which creates the sharp, rhythmic voice style Rocky has in the novel.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
8 May 2026
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The patients’ hippocampal neurons encoded specific semantic and grammatical features of spoken words.—
Jacek Krywko,
Scientific American,
6 May 2026
Adjective
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Sanders, who co-directed the original movie and voiced Stitch, reprised his voice-over role in the 2025 update.—
Justin Kroll,
Deadline,
23 July 2025
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Several cast members returned, including co-writer and co-director Chris Sanders, who created and voiced Stitch.—
Jordana Comiter,
People.com,
24 May 2025
Adjective
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Grant attempted to leave the building, uttered threats and made physical contact with two officers, police said.—
Dennis Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Oral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oral. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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