1
as in linguistic
of or relating to words or language
the child didn't yet have the verbal skills needed to tell the doctor about the pain he was experiencing
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in oral
made or carried on through speaking rather than in writing
a verbal agreement carries less force than a written contract
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of verbal
Halaska apologized during her sentencing hearing and said one of the men had waved a knife at her and made verbal threats toward her and the other woman.
—
City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
Following more than a year of negotiations, the WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association have reached a verbal agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement, bringing an end to a prolonged and, at times, tense process.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 18 Mar. 2026
Observers say there are few precedents in the history of relations between the two countries, partly because the verbal attacks against Canada have been so remarkable.
—Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 16 Mar. 2026
Police noted that Torres is autistic and non-verbal and is also very sensitive to crowds and loud noise.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for verbal
City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
Following more than a year of negotiations, the WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association have reached a verbal agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement, bringing an end to a prolonged and, at times, tense process.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 18 Mar. 2026
Observers say there are few precedents in the history of relations between the two countries, partly because the verbal attacks against Canada have been so remarkable.
—Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 16 Mar. 2026
Police noted that Torres is autistic and non-verbal and is also very sensitive to crowds and loud noise.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for verbal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for verbal
Adjective
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In Turkey, Kurdish people make up the largest ethnic and linguistic minority, amounting to roughly 20% of the population.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
5 Mar. 2026
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Geographic and linguistic frameworks constrain movement; temporal frameworks constrain belonging.—
Anel Rakhimzhanova,
Artforum,
1 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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One attorney involved in the case said oral arguments may not be scheduled until September, nearly a year after the original indictment.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Mar. 2026
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Even oral arguments in other capital cases have been rescheduled as a result of execution litigation.—
Melanie Verdecia,
Sun Sentinel,
22 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Back in 1961, astronomer Frank Drake put chalk to board and devised a formula to estimate the number of communicative civilizations in the Milky Way.—
Leonard David,
Space.com,
17 Mar. 2026
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From the get-go, Vespaio was incredibly kind and communicative when planning our rehearsal dinner.—
Matthew Odam,
Austin American Statesman,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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There’s a familiar rhetorical pattern to retirement announcements by most members of Congress.—
David Mark,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
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Its strength lies in the creation of characters who, although sometimes forced to function stiffly as rhetorical mouthpieces, seem genuinely conflicted and caught off guard by the brutal interventions of history.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Verbal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/verbal. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
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