nonverbal
Britishadjective
Explanation
Something that's nonverbal doesn't use spoken words. Nonverbal communication might consist of hand gestures or facial expressions. Use the adjective nonverbal when you talk about a method of communicating without spoken language, or a person who isn't able to use speech. The word verbal means "in the form of words," from the Latin verbum, "word," so anything that's nonverbal happens entirely without words. You can probably tell from a friend's nonverbal cues that she's uncomfortable — her face or body language might give her away.
Vocabulary lists containing nonverbal
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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"Face Facts: The Science of Facial Expressions" and "Silent Language"
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Anything But Typical
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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.
By watching a client’s nonverbal cues, advisers can tell to what extent they’re making themselves understood.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 23, 2026
"She's nonverbal, so we're not sure how much she is comprehending about what is going on at the moment," Lauer told AFP.
From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026
Her son Michael is a 5ft 10in, nonverbal 23-year-old.
From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026
Court reporters—who often rely on nonverbal cues and work with traumatized witnesses—are an example of AI’s limitations in replacing human skill in the real world.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 17, 2026
The second implication of these studies is that nonverbal cues are as or more important than verbal cues.
From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell
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