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
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 Web
Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Sep. 2025
Beyond ‘Hey Siri’ In August 2025, OpenAI released Realtime API, which processes speech directly and captures non-verbal cues such as laughter or pauses.
—Gelila, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
What the law changes Before SB 2929, referees and judges had to issue a verbal warning before ejecting a spectator.
—Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Sep. 2025
That could put them at a disadvantage compared to upcoming glasses like those from Google, which have a display for showing information along with providing verbal answers.
—Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for verbal
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Adjective
Fellow judge Derek Hough's also held up a paddle showing a 7 to reflect their verbal score.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Sep. 2025
Beyond ‘Hey Siri’ In August 2025, OpenAI released Realtime API, which processes speech directly and captures non-verbal cues such as laughter or pauses.
—Gelila, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
What the law changes Before SB 2929, referees and judges had to issue a verbal warning before ejecting a spectator.
—Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Sep. 2025
That could put them at a disadvantage compared to upcoming glasses like those from Google, which have a display for showing information along with providing verbal answers.
—Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for verbal
Cite this Entry
“Verbal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/verbal. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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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