vertical

adjective

ver·ti·cal | \ ˈvər-ti-kəl

Definition of vertical

1a : perpendicular to the plane of the horizon or to a primary axis : upright

b(1) : located at right angles to the plane of a supporting surface

(2) : lying in the direction of an axis : lengthwise

2a : situated at the highest point : directly overhead or in the zenith

b of an aerial photograph : taken with the camera pointing straight down or nearly so

3a : relating to, involving, or integrating economic activity from basic production to point of sale a vertical monopoly

b : of, relating to, or comprising persons of different status the vertical arrangement of society

4 medical : relating to or being transmission (as of a disease) by genetic inheritance or by a congenital or perinatal route vertical inheritance … decreasing the rate of vertical transmission of HIV to the fetus by two-thirds, so that the numbers of children with the condition are diminishing.— Cynthia B. Cohen — compare horizontal sense 3

Other Words from vertical Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about vertical

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Other Words from vertical

vertical noun

verticality \ ˌvər-tə-ˈka-lə-tē

\ noun

vertically \ ˈvər-ti-k(ə-)lē

\ adverb

verticalness \ ˈvər-ti-kəl-nəs

\ noun

Choose the Right Synonym for vertical

vertical, perpendicular, plumb mean being at right angles to a base line. vertical suggests a line or direction rising straight upward toward a zenith. the side of the cliff is almost vertical perpendicular may stress the straightness of a line making a right angle with any other line, not necessarily a horizontal one. the parallel bars are perpendicular to the support posts plumb stresses an exact verticality determined (as with a plumb line) by earth's gravity. make sure that the wall is plumb

Examples of vertical in a Sentence

a shirt with vertical stripes the vertical axis of a graph

Recent Examples on the Web

Gordon stole the spotlight at the Husky Combine, finishing first in the vertical jump (42.5 inches), second in the three-cone drill (6.52 seconds) and pro agility drill (3.87 seconds) and third in the broad jump (10 feet, five inches). — Mike Vorel, The Seattle Times, "Washington opens spring football this week. These are the top story lines to watch.," 1 Apr. 2019 They have begun training the AI to recognize details of any given shot as granular as someone’s release time and vertical jump. — Ben Cohen, WSJ, "The iPhone App Making the NBA Smarter With Artificial Intelligence," 17 July 2018 Each camera has a 1920 x 1200 resolution, a 120 degree horizontal field of view, and a 75 degree vertical field of view. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "All-Seeing HD Cameras Could Solve Tanks' Biggest Weakness," 17 Apr. 2019 The vertical steam function is very strong and all of the controls were intuitive and easy to use. — Sarah Bogdan, Good Housekeeping, "5 Best Cordless Irons to Buy in 2019, According to Cleaning Experts," 15 Feb. 2019 The paint forms various viscous filaments, which are thrown against a vertical canvas. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "Study: modern masters like Jackson Pollock were “intuitive physicists”," 26 Dec. 2018 The viewpoint overlooks Yosemite Valley, including El Capitan, a popular vertical ascent for rock climbers across the globe. — Kainaz Amaria, Vox, "2018, explained in pictures by women and non-binary photographers," 21 Dec. 2018 The massive vehicle was tested twice on unmanned missions (both ultimately successful) but the second flight had serious glitches, including vertical oscillations (dubbed the pogo effect) and premature engine shutdowns. — Ernie Mastroianni, Discover Magazine, "Apollo 8: Humanity's First Trip to the Moon," 21 Dec. 2018 Add vertical strips of washi tape in another color or pattern along the binding. — Sarah Newell, Seventeen, "11 Ridiculously Awesome DIY Gifts for Your BFFs," 12 Sep. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'vertical.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near vertical

vertical blanking interval

Statistics for vertical

Last Updated

14 May 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for vertical

The first known use of vertical was in 1559

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More Definitions for vertical

vertical

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of vertical

: positioned up and down rather than from side to side : going straight up

: having a structure in which there are top, middle, and bottom levels

See the full definition for vertical in the English Language Learners Dictionary

vertical

adjective

ver·ti·cal | \ ˈvər-ti-kəl

Kids Definition of vertical

(Entry 1 of 2)

: rising straight up and down from a level surface

vertical

noun

Kids Definition of vertical (Entry 2 of 2)

: something (as a line or plane) that rises straight up and down

vertical

adjective

ver·ti·cal | \ ˈvərt-i-kəl

Medical Definition of vertical

: relating to or being transmission (as of a disease) by genetic inheritance or by a congenital or perinatal route vertical transmission of the hepatitis B virus from mother to infant vertical inheritance — compare horizontal sense 2