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 But despite months of verbal support from state leaders, no new funding has materialized. Leslie S. Richards, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2025 And also, similar to the suggestion for No. 1, consider creating safe words or a verbal challenge/response procedure. Perry Carpenter, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025 But the only thing standard about the play that involves Hurts getting shoved by a teammate or two in the physical region that defies verbal grace is the consistency with which the Philadelphia Eagles pick up first downs, score touchdowns and confound those who haven’t yet found a way to stop it. Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 21 May 2025 Ventura, 38, described her relationship with Combs as abusive and inconsistent, spanning years of brutal physical assaults and verbal tirades. Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 21 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for verbal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for verbal
Adjective
  • This strident belief that languages shape our thinking is referred to as the linguistic relativity hypothesis, which is also informally known as Whorfianism, see my detailed discussion at the link here.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
  • Critics argue that the rules prohibit linguistic evolution and self-expression.
    Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 May 2025
Adjective
  • The ruling comes ahead of a June 30 oral argument in a related case before the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in Texas, where Judge James Ho, a Trump appointee, previously criticized the Supreme Court for punting the matter back to his court.
    Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 7 June 2025
  • The Supreme Court agrees to hear the Justice Department's appeal of the 9th Circuit ruling, leading to oral arguments.
    Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 6 June 2025
Adjective
  • Those transported to the hospital were conscious and communicative at the time of transport, according to Diablo Valley College.
    Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 24 May 2025
  • Jen is super communicative, popular, and wise, linking her spiritual vibe with the Air sign.
    Lisa Stardust, People.com, 14 May 2025
Adjective
  • However, that evolution remains more rhetorical than structural, at least for now.
    Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 4 June 2025
  • Differences of opinion between economists, scorekeepers and analysts are commonplace, as are the heated rhetorical attacks lobbed at the Congressional Budget Office.
    Phil Mattingly, CNN Money, 4 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Verbal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/verbal. Accessed 15 Jun. 2025.

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