vocal 1 of 2

adjective

ˈvō-kəl How to pronounce vocal (audio)
Definition of vocalnext
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

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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
For a vocal band, being able to work with someone who can get every little nuance out of the throat is important, which, depending on the day, can be very challenging. — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2026 Milsap received the Grammy for best country vocal performance by a male in February 1977, and Kent Robbins (no relation to Pig) snagged a Country Music Association nomination for best country song. — Tom Roland, Billboard, 28 Aug. 2026
Noun
The vocals at this Honda Stage at the iHeartRadio Theater performance are nothing to write home about, but this live rendition is worth a watch if only for the looming, frightening, almost aggressive energy of her background singers. — Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 25 Aug. 2026 Dolly Parton, the country music icon whose soaring vibrato vocals, poignant songwriting and sparkling costumes defined her rise, has died. — Maria Sherman, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for vocal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vocal
  1. voiced
  2. ballad
  3. spoken
  4. song
  5. uttered
  6. lyric
  7. oral
  8. hymn
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
  • Taylor doffed his signature pageboy cap for a humble bow following the soothing ballad.
    — Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The first co-write between Henley and Frey was a bona fide cowboy ballad if cowboys kept grand pianos around campfires.
    — Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of ballad
Adjective
  • Donalds’ spoken acceptance of the inevitability of massive data centers, and their support for his candidacy, is one of his biggest political liabilities.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 25 Aug. 2026
  • That experience in the mid-1990s sent the soft-spoken Rousseau, who had spent his career in public policy, on a quest to review the county’s education system and political power structure.
    — Tamar Hallerman, AJC.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of spoken
Noun
  • Back in 2015, Parton and her team buried a chestnut box filled with physical copies of a brand new song in two formats, cassette and CD, along with their corresponding players, under her Dollywood DreamMore Resort and Spa.
    — Isabelle Farina, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The song, famously written by Parton as an emotional farewell to her mentor Porter Wagoner and his show, topped the country chart in 1974.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 27 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
  • Writers were impressed by her ability to infuse emotion into lyrics.
    — Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Her lyrics were representative of America throughout different decades, including the changing experiences of women who demanded equality.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of lyric
Adjective
  • The complaint says that Gardner wired $500,000 to Sanborn and that the parties had an oral agreement on how the work would proceed.
    — John Wisely, Freep.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Peptide serums can also complement oral hair-growth medications.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of oral
Noun
  • The scholar of religion Friedrich Max Müller (1823–1900) noticed that many Vedic hymns praise different deities using the same superlatives and ascribe to them the same mythological feats.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Avie Lee filled the family's two-room home with music by singing hymns, folk songs and traditional mountain music.
    — Devarrick Turner, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of hymn

Browse Nearby Words

vocabulary
vocal
vocalist
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Vocal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vocal. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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