1
as in linguistic
of or relating to words or language the child didn't yet have the verbal skills needed to tell the doctor about the pain he was experiencing

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2
as in oral
made or carried on through speaking rather than in writing a verbal agreement carries less force than a written contract

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of verbal The soon-to-be 79-year-old Trump nearly always reacts to counterarguments with insults, lawsuits and verbal attacks upon print and TV journalists. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 8 May 2025 The shooting occurred after the resident, 79, got into a verbal and physical fight with the 29-year-old man, resulting in the resident firing his gun, according to an Elgin Police Department news release posted on Facebook. Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2025 Three of the most polarizing men in hockey were taking turns getting their verbal jabs in. Josh Yohe, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025 There is also truth behind Blues coach Jim Montgomery’s series of verbal daggers after Game 4. Murat Ates, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for verbal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for verbal
Adjective
  • The tool took two years to complete—in part because of linguistic challenges, Kharraz said.
    Alexis Kayser, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 May 2025
  • Digital platforms can offer courses that seamlessly integrate both forms of Arabic, providing learners with a well-rounded linguistic foundation.
    Geoffrey Alphonso, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025
Adjective
  • First Trump policy to hit the Supreme Court The appeal is the first from the Trump administration that the Supreme Court agreed to consider through oral arguments.
    Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 15 May 2025
  • Yeast overgrowth can often be eradicated with one dose of an oral tablet called fluconazole (Diflucan).
    Cheyenne Buckingham, SELF, 13 May 2025
Adjective
  • The sophisticated parsing of law and finance, the hard-nosed practicality of retail politics, and the workaday lilt of person-in-the-street interviews converge on the soundtrack and are reflected in images that are modestly but candidly communicative—uninflected but humming with passion.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2025
  • Open, warm, and highly communicative, Chauffe, who performs as hemlock, has made a name for herself around the country by embracing a free-spirited and loose approach to her music and her everyday life.
    Britt Julious, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • During Trump's first term, Pirro called for the jailing of FBI and Justice Department staffers, spoke on stage at a Trump campaign event, and ran rhetorical interference for him during his impeachment trials.
    David Folkenflik, NPR, 10 May 2025
  • His electoral mandate was forged in backlash to the President’s economic aggression, rhetorical slights, and apparent disregard for Canadian sovereignty.
    Nik Popli, Time, 5 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Verbal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/verbal. Accessed 22 May. 2025.

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