Synonyms of verbal

verbal

adjective

ˈvər-bəl 

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• linguistic
• communicative
• rhetorical
• lexical
• wordy
• vocabular
• conversational

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• nonverbal
• nonlinguistic
• nonlexical

2

as in oral

made or carried on through speaking rather than in writing

a verbal agreement carries less force than a written contract

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• written
• formal
• explicit
• paper

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of verbal

Poor Andy Sachs — in the form of the Disney princess-eyed Anne Hathaway — may have suffered the verbal lashings of a boss who expected whims to move worlds on her behalf. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 29 Apr. 2026

This allegedly provoked a verbal altercation between Patterson and the two customers. —Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026

Princess Kate has been widely reported to use her clutch in similar ways, allowing aides to manage crowd interactions without awkward verbal cues. —Terry Moseley, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026

Investigators said one of the women then filled the cup at a soda fountain, which led to a verbal argument with an employee, identified as 20-year-old D’Mari Jy’Quan Patterson. —Skyler Shepard, Sun Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026