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

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
In a key House race in Michigan, the Democratic candidate in the state's 7th Congressional District, William Lawrence has been increasingly vocal on Flock cameras. — Diana Paulsen, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026 Meanwhile, an increasingly vocal opposition to the data center formed among residents, led by those living closest to the site. — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026
Noun
Accompanying the vocals sits an intriguing, rapid-fire, finger-picking guitar, performed in the recording studio by session musician Chip Young. — Wendy Hargreaves, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026 Her soft vocals married beautifully with Marcus Mumford’s baritone. — Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 28 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
  • Evidence is needed to build a case for or against the role of firelight in promoting rich, spoken language in our species.
    — Mike McRae September 02, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The soft-spoken grandmother of six was enjoying her retirement as a former econometrician – a specialist who studies the intersection of economics and statistics.
    — Melanie Stetson Freeman, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of spoken
Noun
  • The latest version includes a handful of unreleased tunes, in addition to the original 2006 songs.
    — Caché McClay, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Artists using the library to record, produce and distribute songs is not unheard of.
    — Caden Perry, jsonline.com, 4 Sep. 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
  • Anurag Saikia composed the music for the first track, which features vocals by Jyoti Nooran and lyrics by Shakeel Azmi.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026
  • But for me, the person captured within the pages of his lyrics, doodles and notes is Freddie Bulsara.
    — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 3 Sep. 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 crowd listened in silence as the Polynesians, wearing blue fire uniforms, sang a Tahitian hymn in harmony while two of them strummed ukuleles.
    — Michael Finnegan, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • 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
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 8 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of magnanimous

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All