nonverbal

adjective

non·​ver·​bal ˌnän-ˈvər-bəl 

: not verbal: such as

a

: not involving or using words

Still, this pope projects eloquence in his off-the-cuff remarks or even during the long interludes between speeches when he is engaged in nonverbal communication with individuals and crowds.

—John S. Driscoll

… psychological aggression refers to both coercive verbal behaviors (e.g., insulting or swearing at partner) and coercive nonverbal behaviors that are not directed at the partner's body (e.g., slamming doors or smashing objects).

—Alan E. Kazdin et al.

b

: being other than verbal

… some hidden, nonverbal quality of her life that could only be alluded to in the act of painting.

—Diane Armitage

c

: lacking or appearing to lack the ability to engage in speech

She finds she can communicate with nonverbal children using drum beats, for example.

—Robert S. Greenberger

nonverbally

ˌnän-ˈvər-bə-lē 

adverb

Examples of nonverbal in a Sentence

Facial expressions are very important for nonverbal communication.

Recent Examples on the Web

The siblings — who live with a rare, often fatal genetic condition called Acid Sphingomyelinase Deficiency (ASMD) — are nonverbal, require tube feeding and need around-the-clock care. —Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 7 June 2026

Her daughter is nonverbal, has Down syndrome and depends on routine, consistency and familiar faces to feel safe and to learn. —Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 4 June 2026

Nicholls said Rayan arrived as a nonverbal student. —William J. Ford, Baltimore Sun, 25 May 2026

As a result, environmental communication is complex, involving verbal, nonverbal, personal, interpersonal, and visual communication. —Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for nonverbal

• preverbal
• gerbil
• herbal
• verbal

Kids Definition

nonverbal

adjective

non·​ver·​bal (ˈ)nän-ˈvər-bəl 

1

: being other than verbal

nonverbal symbols

2

: involving little use of language

nonverbal tests

nonverbally

-bə-lē 

adverb