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

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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

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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

He translated the verbal and emotional precision of theater into a cinematic language as distinct as his film titles: The Banshees of Inisherin.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026

The student, who has limited verbal communication, was walking to school when agents tackled him, questioned him about his citizenship and restrained him in their vehicle.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026

The team altered only the movements around the eyes and eyebrows, leaving verbal content and vocal delivery unchanged.

From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026

“But if you dooooon’t …” Folger repeats the words like a pitcher caressing a verbal curveball she’s about to throw.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026

Other globs of verbal fat include the metaconcepts we suctioned out in chapter 2, including matter, view, subject, process, basis, factor, level, and model.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

"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

There's been verbals on both sides, the kind of trash talk that prize-fighters might be proud of.

From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2016

An unrepentant Mottram retorted: "I won't apologise because I haven't done anything wrong. David is sensitive because he knows I am speaking the truth. He started the verbals, not me."

From BBC ● Nov. 25, 2015

Terry said in a statement to the Football Association five days after the incident that he and Ferdinand had been exchanging "verbals" and he had made a gesture to imply Ferdinand had bad breath.

From The Guardian ● Jul. 9, 2012

In the verb Mr. Gatschet recognizes ten general forms, a part of which he designates as verbals, as follows:   1.

From First Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution 1879-1880, Government Printing Office 1881 by Various

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Related Words

• rhetorical
• unwritten

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