VOCAL Synonyms: 88 Similar and Opposite Words

vocal 1 of 2

adjective

ˈvō-kəl

Definition of vocal

as in voiced

expressed or communicated by voice our cat is given to making strange vocal noises in the dead of night

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

vocal

2 of 2

noun

as in ballad

a short musical composition for the human voice often with instrumental accompaniment a recording artist who arranges his own vocals

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 vocal

Adjective

Backlash for grieving on TikTok Both Rose and Satori have been vocal online about their experiences, which have received positive and negative reactions. — Maddie Rhodes, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026 There were vocal critics who wanted Flaco to return to the zoo for his own safety and were shocked that the rescue efforts didn’t continue. — Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2026

Noun

Country singer James Dupré performs vocals for the concerts, while Travis makes a special appearance and greets the audience. — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2026 The Digital Sound Enhancement Engine creates a more immersive soundscape by delivering clear and detailed sound, as well as natural vocals and balanced tuning. — George Yang, PC Magazine, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for vocal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for vocal

Adjective

Sanders, who co-directed the original movie and voiced Stitch, reprised his voice-over role in the 2025 update.

— Justin Kroll, Deadline, 23 July 2025
Several cast members returned, including co-writer and co-director Chris Sanders, who created and voiced Stitch.

— Jordana Comiter, People.com, 24 May 2025

Definition of voiced

Noun

Their videos work as a modern take on the narcocorridos – ballads about the trafficking underworld that drug kingpins used to praise themselves and communicate with each other, said security expert Alexei Chévez.

— Rey Rodríguez, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
Much of Tulu literature and folklore has been preserved through oral tradition, especially epic ballads called paddanas.

— Andrew Pereira, Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of ballad

Adjective

The song — included on his new album Chuck Timely & the Hourglass— features the pair exchanging flirty lines in a spoken bridge.

— Rachel DeSantis, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 2026
In his work, Schmidt lets images, sounds, music and moods do the talking, while spoken words are rarely necessary.

— Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2026

Definition of spoken

Noun

After nearly 50 years on Main Street in Evanston, as every song has a final note, the final note for Guitar Works is being played.

— Suzanne Le Mignot, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
As per usual, that song — which is the title track to band’s fourth album from 1977 — served as a massive platform for Young’s guitar work.

— Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of song

Adjective

For all their speed-to-market and trend obsessions, fashion companies struggle to update the systems and materials that go into their products, meaning churn reigns and improvements are consigned to that oft-uttered utopian destination known as ‘when there’s time’.

— Brooke Roberts-Islam, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
Each line encourages a body to shift when uttered or even when read silently to oneself.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 May 2026

Definition of uttered

Noun

According to the announcement, the semi-acoustic record draws inspiration from reflective touchstones in Young’s catalog such as Comes a Time and Prairie Wind, with lyrics that grapple with memory, mortality and renewal.

— SPIN Staff, SPIN, 7 Aug. 2026
The music, lyrics, performance, and choreography were addictive and fun – and earned her a win on South Korean music shows.

— Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of lyric

Adjective

Novo has used its months-long lead in the oral weight-loss space to position Wegovy pill in the market as the most effective oral option for losing weight.

— Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2026
The Court’s oral arguments have precise protocols, but none of them governed where a President should sit in the courtroom, because no President had ever done such a thing.

— Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of oral

Noun

The rugby union side’s is ‘Swing Low, Sweet Chariot’, originally an African-American hymn sung by slaves in the United States in the mid-19th century.

— George Edwards, New York Times, 31 July 2026
The hymn was dubbed by the NAACP as the Black national anthem in the early 1900s.

— PJ Green July 30, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2026

Definition of hymn

Browse Nearby Words

vocabulary

vocal

vocalist

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Vocal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vocal. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of vocal

adjective

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on vocal

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

baptism of fire

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes