1
: positioned up and down rather than from side to side : going straight up
a vertical line
a shirt with vertical stripes
the vertical axis of a graph
vertical cliffs
2
: having a structure in which there are top, middle, and bottom levels
a vertical social order
Cite this Entry
“Vertical.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/vertical. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
Copy Citation
