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
Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
The dispute between Bailey and Granberry began back in May when Bailey filed her restraining order request, accusing Granberry of physical, emotional, verbal, and financial abuse.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 28 Oct. 2025
Coast Guard personnel issued multiple verbal commands to stop the vehicle, the driver failed to comply and proceeded to put the vehicle in reverse.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
James finds the wit in every line of Perkins’ script, playing his characters straight and with emotional depth while still showing an unerring instinct for where to place his verbal emphasis for maximum laughs as well as horror.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for verbal
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Adjective
Roughly 30 minutes before his death, officers responded to a disturbance call after a female family member alerted authorities that Kyren had allegedly been involved in a verbal argument with her and had discharged a firearm into the ground.
—Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
The dispute between Bailey and Granberry began back in May when Bailey filed her restraining order request, accusing Granberry of physical, emotional, verbal, and financial abuse.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 28 Oct. 2025
Coast Guard personnel issued multiple verbal commands to stop the vehicle, the driver failed to comply and proceeded to put the vehicle in reverse.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
James finds the wit in every line of Perkins’ script, playing his characters straight and with emotional depth while still showing an unerring instinct for where to place his verbal emphasis for maximum laughs as well as horror.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 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 2 Nov. 2025.
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verbal
2 of 2 noun
: a word that combines characteristics of a verb with those of a noun or adjective
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