1
as in vocal
expressed or communicated by voice
a baby's crying is usually interpreted as an oral expression of distress
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in verbal
made or carried on through speaking rather than in writing
lawyers for the plaintiff will be presenting oral arguments before the Supreme Court next week
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of oral
Too often, America still treats oral health as an afterthought—segregated from medicine, detached from justice, and absent from too much of health policy.
—
Jean Paul Laurent, Time, 11 June 2026
Hyaluronic acid has similarly been the subject of many clinical studies as a topical skin-care ingredient, oral supplement and as injectables.
—Ellie Davis, Vogue, 11 June 2026
The cases are in cattle, goats and a dog in Texas and New Mexico, according to the Department of Agriculture, and the FDA on Thursday approved the use of generic Nitenpyram tablets—an oral treatment usually used to kill fleas—in dogs, puppies, cats and kittens infected with screwworm.
—Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
But the patient must also make a second oral request five days after the initial one.
—Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for oral
Jean Paul Laurent, Time, 11 June 2026
Hyaluronic acid has similarly been the subject of many clinical studies as a topical skin-care ingredient, oral supplement and as injectables.
—Ellie Davis, Vogue, 11 June 2026
The cases are in cattle, goats and a dog in Texas and New Mexico, according to the Department of Agriculture, and the FDA on Thursday approved the use of generic Nitenpyram tablets—an oral treatment usually used to kill fleas—in dogs, puppies, cats and kittens infected with screwworm.
—Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
But the patient must also make a second oral request five days after the initial one.
—Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for oral
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oral
Adjective
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The screams, contortions and vocal shifts were made without CGI or artificial intelligence, and that detail is its own form of campaign currency in an era when audiences and voters alike are increasingly skeptical of digital enhancement.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
15 June 2026
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Instead, Nowell roots the band’s sound in the mid-’90s and keeps his vocal mannerisms as close to Bradley’s as possible.—
Sadie Sartini Garner,
Pitchfork,
15 June 2026
Adjective
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The demonstration also showed Aloha robots performing daily activities such as packing lunches, sorting items, and listening to and responding to verbal instructions.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Dec. 2025
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Facial expressions are one of the most important forms of non-verbal communication.—
Valerie Monroe,
Allure,
10 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
In the Polish Pavilion, Bogna Burska and Daniel Kotowski explored communication beyond spoken language through immersive sound and image, proposing vibration, listening, and collective attunement as alternatives to institutional authority.—
Thomas Rom,
ARTnews.com,
8 June 2026
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According to the firm, the dual-domain architecture enables the robot to interpret spoken instructions, understand its environment, generate action plans, and execute physical tasks with coordinated motion.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
3 June 2026
Adjective
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Paint your July with a multi-generational, multi-voiced novel by Yū Miri, a Korean writer who grew up in Japan.—
Air Mail,
Air Mail,
28 June 2025
Adjective
-
For all their speed-to-market and trend obsessions, fashion companies struggle to update the systems and materials that go into their products, meaning churn reigns and improvements are consigned to that oft-uttered utopian destination known as ‘when there’s time’.—
Brooke Roberts-Islam,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
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Each line encourages a body to shift when uttered or even when read silently to oneself.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Oral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oral. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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