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

Six nonverbal autistic students were missing for hours before arriving at a Brooklyn school more than four hours late after a substitute bus driver got lost, according to a city investigation. — Doug Williams, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026

HapWare’s Aleye is a haptic wristband that relays nonverbal cues—a smile, a wave—in near-real time through a series of vibrations. — Derek Rose, Time, 15 Oct. 2026

Aura battles are a viral public performance trend in which teens and young adults face off in public places, typically on city streets, to test who has the most charisma, swagger and nonverbal confidence. — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026

Wilde’s prodigious gift was his use of language, but dance is traditionally a nonverbal art. — Hannah Aizenman, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 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