Definition of verbalnext
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Washington — Abigail Shry's verbal threats against public officials have been racist, violent and detailed. CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026 Now, marquee names like LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo have gotten into the game, creating an uneasy juxtaposition as other players have bemoaned the effects of gambling and verbal assault from fans. Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2026 Officers issued verbal commands for Brown to drop the weapon and approach them. Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 18 Feb. 2026 The whole point was a bunch of kids setting out on a verbal expedition to use the telephone as a megaphone to have our voices heard. Arkansas Online, 17 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for verbal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for verbal
Adjective
  • Large language models now exhibit extraordinary linguistic competence while remaining wholly incapable of accountability.
    Deb Roy, The Atlantic, 15 Feb. 2026
  • That word is a product of linguistic confusion, according to Yeazell.
    Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • New research shows that people with obesity host a distinct oral microbiome compared to individuals at a healthy weight.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 Feb. 2026
  • According to oral tribal histories, the sachems demonstrated the boundaries of the Providence Land Grant to Roger Williams by standing at Neutaconkanut Hill and spreading their arms wide.
    Antonia Noori Farzan, The Providence Journal, 14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • The steering has a natural, connected feel that's not artificially weighted, but is genuinely communicative.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 7 Feb. 2026
  • This is an unusual position for an exponent of the public sphere and communicative rationality to take.
    Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • The rhetorical support from Pritzker has been followed by millions of dollars in financial support from our billionaire governor.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 14 Feb. 2026
  • But Dreher has also given plenty of rhetorical support to Trump’s demolition agenda.
    Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Verbal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/verbal. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.

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