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

• verbals
  plural

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

Derived Forms

• nonverbal
  adjective
• verbally
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• verbals
  plural

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 verbals

A 437-page report written by a panel of three judges in 2021 found that the state had shirked its duty to protect Caruana Galizia and subjected her to personal attacks and verbal abuse from politicians.

From Barron's ● Sep. 2, 2026

The cognitive assessments measured verbal memory and processing speed.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 2, 2026

"Is there confirmed written or verbal evidence... to accuse him?" he asked the court, arguing that prosecutors had failed to produce proof that security officers had received orders from his client.

From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026

They brushed off her concerns, she said, citing Maisa’s good grades, verbal sophistication and empathy as evidence that she couldn’t be autistic.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

Beyond sheer verbal volume, the punch so evident in the Adams prose reflected his more aggressive and confrontational temperament.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

Whether facing Caribbean bouncers or verbals from his old adversary Merv Hughes, he gave as good as he got.

From BBC ● Dec. 2, 2025

"He addresses me and Tweets me quite often and I was just in the frame of mind where I thought me and Klitschko don't have much verbals, so let me respond to Fury."

From Reuters ● Apr. 20, 2017

Jones' verbals are quite enjoyable - up to a point.

From BBC ● Feb. 26, 2016

There was an element of jealousy at how they used to stick it to us, with their verbals and their confidence.

From The Guardian ● Nov. 16, 2012

The last are purely English; and yet they correspond in form with such as come from Latin verbals in abilis.

From The Grammar of English Grammars by Goold Brown

Related Words

• rhetorical
• unwritten