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
In his two terms in Congress, Deluzio has been a vocal progressive with an increasingly national profile. — Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026 Regalado, the Miami-Dade property appraiser, has been a vocal proponent of Amendment 3. — Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2026
Noun
The performance’s poignancy was underlined by background vocals from singers Tiffany Stevens and Ebony Franklin. — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 20 Oct. 2026 Thompson’s wife Zara Phillips is also on hand to add depth to his distinctive monochromatic vocals. — David Harris, SPIN, 20 Oct. 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
  • The great modern American ballad, from Dylan or Joni Mitchell or Simon, often takes the form of a private self-inspection, a singer reflecting on experience.
    — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The song is a tale of a small town drying up as businessmen buy up all the land, and Supernaw — with his distinctive twang — sang it as a hard-luck ballad.
    — Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of ballad
Adjective
  • For the handful of Deaf linguists who attend the event, that definition extends beyond spoken language.
    — New York Times, New York Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The model normally converts a user’s spoken instructions into a sequence of actions that the robot can execute.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of spoken
Noun
  • There are some apocalypses, the song seems to suggest, where no redemptive beauty can be found.
    — Marissa Lorusso, Pitchfork, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Taylor Swift looked back on her earliest days crafting songs in Music City as she was inducted Monday into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, becoming its youngest member at 36.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 27 Oct. 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
  • The results are most effective when the lyrics are tight and embody the colorful feelings that Greene’s music often evokes.
    — Kiana Mickles, Pitchfork, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The lyrics point to an understanding that change requires sacrifice.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of lyric
Adjective
  • Advocates, many of them on TikTok, credit it with everything from better sleep to improved oral health and even changes to jawline structure.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The company is developing an oral version of the blockbuster drug Dupixent (made and co-developed by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Sanofi).
    — Paulina Likos, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of oral
Noun
  • At the conclusion of an English-language service interspersed with hymns in Arabic, the priest introduced Salazar, who stood up in the front row, smiling and waving.
    — Daniel Castro, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2026
  • At a campaign event held at a college chapel in Lindsborg, Hamilton led the crowd in a hymn and did not mention his opponent by name.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of hymn

Browse Nearby Words

vocabulary
vocal
vocalist
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Cite this Entry

“Vocal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vocal. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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