verbally

[vur-buh-lee]

adverb

1. using spoken words rather than written words; orally.

   The committee verbally OK’d the park renewal plan.

2. by the use of words, rather than by physical means.

   Pain inflicted verbally can leave deep, invisible scars.

3. Grammar.,  with the function of a verb.

   When used verbally, the term ‘bird-dog’ is hyphenated.

Other Word Forms

• nonverbally adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of verbally¹

First recorded in 1570–70; verbal ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )

Example Sentences

A sheriff said she had been "nasty, verbally abusive, cruel, vindictive, violent" towards her victims.

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The bitter, misogynist audience is there for the provocative visual of the older Kirk looking down on and verbally “owning” supposedly “ruined” women.

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A council contractor has been verbally abused and says his cherry-picker was damaged as he tried to remove Saltire flags from lampposts in Stenhousemuir.

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At the time, it was reported that she had allegedly been drunk and verbally abused former rugby player Mike Phillips while attending the Rugby World Cup in Nantes in a work capacity.

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Conservative MSP Douglas Ross has accused a Scottish government minister of physically and verbally assaulting him in parliament.

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