as in auditory
of, relating to, or experienced through the sense of hearing
had auricular proof that the sun was up, as the birds began chirping
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Recent Examples of auricular
It can be delivered using a device that sits on the ear and sends an electrical pulse to the auricular branch of the vagus nerve, which is found under the skin in the magenta area in the diagram below.
—
Paul McClure 22, New Atlas, 22 May 2025
Each muscle is responsible for a different movement: the anterior auricular muscle pulls the ear forward, the superior auricular muscle lifts it slightly, and the posterior auricular muscle pulls it backward.
—Clarissa Brincat, Popular Science, 27 Feb. 2025
Although evidence is mixed, researchers found stimulating points in the outer ear—auricular acupuncture—to help with quitting smoking when combined with other methods.13
Mindfulness: Another method that may help people quit tobacco is mindfulness.
—Mark Gurarie, Health, 26 Sep. 2024
Some people can control their auricular muscles to move the ear slightly but to a noticeable extent, an ability that seems to have a genetic basis.
—C. Claiborne Ray, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2017
Paul McClure 22, New Atlas, 22 May 2025
Each muscle is responsible for a different movement: the anterior auricular muscle pulls the ear forward, the superior auricular muscle lifts it slightly, and the posterior auricular muscle pulls it backward.
—Clarissa Brincat, Popular Science, 27 Feb. 2025
Although evidence is mixed, researchers found stimulating points in the outer ear—auricular acupuncture—to help with quitting smoking when combined with other methods.13
Mindfulness: Another method that may help people quit tobacco is mindfulness.
—Mark Gurarie, Health, 26 Sep. 2024
Some people can control their auricular muscles to move the ear slightly but to a noticeable extent, an ability that seems to have a genetic basis.
—C. Claiborne Ray, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for auricular
auditory
Adjective
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Its brain likely became increasingly adapted for processing fine auditory information.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
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But the prevailing auditory sense that stands out in memory is an uncanny calmness, met by a student trapped inside, alive and aware, who cut through the stillness to comfort his peers while their fates remained sealed between earth and steel.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacbee.com,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Auricular.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/auricular. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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