vocal
Americanadjective
-
of, relating to, or uttered with the voice.
the vocal mechanism;
vocal criticism.
-
rendered by or intended for singing.
vocal music.
-
having a voice.
A dog is a vocal, but not a verbal, being.
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giving forth sound with or as with a voice.
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inclined to express oneself in words, especially copiously or insistently.
a vocal advocate of reform.
- Synonyms:
- outspoken, vociferous
-
Phonetics.
noun
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a vocal sound.
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a musical piece for a singer, usually with instrumental accompaniment.
adjective
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of, relating to, or designed for the voice
vocal music
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produced or delivered by the voice
vocal noises
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connected with an attribute or the production of the voice
vocal organs
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frequently disposed to outspoken speech, criticism, etc
a vocal minority
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full of sound or voices
a vocal assembly
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endowed with a voice
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eloquent or meaningful
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phonetics
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of or relating to a speech sound
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of or relating to a voiced speech sound, esp a vowel
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noun
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a piece of jazz or pop music that is sung
-
a performance of such a piece of music
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of vocal
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin vōcālis, equivalent to vōc- (stem of vōx ) voice + -ālis -al 1
Explanation
Anything vocal is related to speaking or singing, like your math class's vocal objections to a pop quiz or the vocal warm-ups that a jazz singer does before a big performance. The word vocal comes from the Latin vocalis ("sounding, sonorous, or speaking") and its root meaning of "voice." As a noun, it refers to a section of music that's sung, rather than played on an instrument: "The vocals in that song were beautiful, but the guitar was out of tune." There's also a figurative way to be vocal, by expressing your ideas passionately and freely: "She was vocal about her environmentalism."
Vocabulary lists containing vocal
Common Five-letter Words for Wordle, List 4
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Music - Introductory
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Lend Me Your Ears: Sound Words
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As the junior senator from California, a progressive state, Harris was vocal in her support for Medicare for All.
From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026
Layers of synthesizers bubble and brood; vocal samples drift in and out of tracks, flat and unsettling, alluding to God and human biology.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
With Warsh largely remaining silent, several other policymakers have been vocal about their concern over high prices and the potential need for action in the near-term.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
Kennedy was one of USC’s most visible and vocal boosters during its glory years under football coach Pete Carroll.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
In this way, with my vocal cords as my instrument, I glide through the verses, wavering slightly at first, but getting stronger as I continue.
From "Amina's Voice" by Hena Khan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
