Synonyms of oral

oral

adjective

ˈȯr-əl 

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

• vocal
• spoken
• voiced
• uttered
• whispered
• pronounced
• shouted
• articulated
• sonant
• mumbled
• breathed
• muttered
• mouthed
• enunciated
• murmured
• gasped
• sputtered
• purred
• intoned
• drawled
• chirped
• squeaked
• spluttered

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• silent
• inarticulate
• quiet
• mute
• nonvocal
• unspoken
• unvoiced
• unsaid
• unexpressed
• voiceless
• unuttered
• surd

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• verbal
• spoken
• nuncupative
• unwritten
• word-of-mouth
• verbalized
• viva voce
• implicit
• consensual
• informal
• articulated
• sounded
• voiced
• said
• told
• stated
• pronounced
• given

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• written
• formal
• explicit
• paper

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of oral

In a neighboring schoolhouse, Ministry of Health staff offered all children the oral drug praziquantel, which can both prevent and treat the disease. — William McCarthy, NPR, 4 July 2026

The oral cavity also holds fungi, viruses and archaea, though bacteria account for the vast majority of what has been studied. — Allison Palmer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 July 2026

At the Supreme Court During the oral argument, lawyer Paul Clement, representing Monsanto, claimed that Missouri was trying to require a different label than federal law allows, and that the company could not have added a cancer warning on its own. — Sarah J. Morath, The Conversation, 2 July 2026

At the oral argument, Sauer stated that birth tourists from China and Russia number in the millions. — Amanda Frost, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026