verbal

American  

[vur-buhl] / ˈvɜr bəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to words.

   verbal ability.

2. consisting of or in the form of words.

   verbal imagery.

3. expressed in spoken words; oral rather than written.

   verbal communication; verbal agreement.

   Synonyms:

   spoken

4. consisting of or expressed in words (as opposed to actions).

   a verbal protest.

5. pertaining to or concerned with words only (as opposed to ideas, facts, or realities).

   a purely verbal distinction between two concepts.

6. corresponding word for word; verbatim.

   a verbal translation.

7. using words.

   verbal facility.

8. based on the use of words (as opposed to other activity).

   a verbal score in a test; verbal IQ.

9. Grammar.

   1. of, relating to, or derived from a verb.

      verbal nouns and adjectives.

   2. used in a sentence as or like a verb.

   3. used to form verbs.

      the verbal ending “-ed.”

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noun

1. Grammar.

   1. a word derived from a verb, especially one used as a noun or an adjective, as, in English, a gerund, participle, or infinitive.

   2. a word or words used in a sentence as or like a verb.

verbal British  

/ ˈvɜːbəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or using words, esp as opposed to ideas, etc

   merely verbal concessions

2. oral rather than written

   a verbal agreement

3. verbatim; literal

   an almost verbal copy

4. grammar of or relating to verbs or a verb

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noun

1. grammar another word for verbid

2. slang (plural) abuse or invective

   new forms of on-field verbals

3. slang (plural) a criminal's admission of guilt on arrest

verb

1. slang (of the police) to implicate (someone) in a crime by quoting alleged admission of guilt in court

Usage

Verbal has had the meaning “spoken” since the late 16th century and is thus synonymous with oral: He wrote a memorandum to confirm the verbal agreement. Slightly earlier, verbal had developed the meaning “expressed in words, whether spoken or written (as opposed to actions)”: Verbal support is no help without money and supplies. Although some say that the use of verbal to mean “spoken” produces ambiguity, it rarely does so. Verbal is used in this sense in all varieties of speech and writing and is fully standard. The context usually makes the meaning clear: No documents are necessary; a verbal agreement (or contract or order ) will suffice. Oral can be used instead of verbal if the context demands: My lawyer insists on a written contract because oral agreements are too difficult to enforce.

Other Word Forms

• nonverbal
  adjective
• verbally
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of verbal

First recorded in 1485–95; from Middle French, from Latin verbālis, equivalent to verb(um) “word, speech” + -ālis adjective sufix; see word, -al ¹

Explanation

If your friend tells you that the speech you just made was really verbal, he means you used too many words, overstated the point, went on too long, were redundant. Verbal simply means, "having to do with words." If you hit someone that's a physically assault, but if you say nasty things to him, it's a verbal assault. Sometimes we use verbal to mean "spoken instead of written," usually to talk about agreements we've made. A child who is verbal is a child who can speak, and we call someone who's very articulate a verbal person.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

verbal

“Its whimsical grandiosity practically invites us to use the passive voice, a kind of verbal genuflection.”

From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026

Until last week’s combined intervention, both Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Japan’s Finance Minister, Satsuki Katayama, had tried to boost the yen merely through verbal encouragement, but that strategy proved unsuccessful.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 3, 2026

Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama has recently issued verbal warnings.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026

It was not quite a protest chant, but a verbal alarm for the neighborhood.

From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026

Wes mumbled the verbal equivalent of a shrug.

From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore

Related Words

• rhetorical
• unwritten