vertical
Americanadjective
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being in a position or direction perpendicular to the plane of the horizon; upright; plumb.
- Antonyms:
- horizontal
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of, relating to, or situated at the vertex.
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of or relating to the cranial vertex.
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Botany.
-
(of a leaf ) having the blade in a perpendicular plane, so that neither of the surfaces can be called upper or lower.
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being in the same direction as the axis; lengthwise.
-
-
of, constituting, or resulting in vertical combination.
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of or relating to a product or service from initial planning to sale.
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of, relating to, or noting a stratified society, nation, etc.
noun
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something vertical, as a line or plane.
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a vertical or upright position.
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a vertical structural member in a truss.
adjective
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at right angles to the horizon; perpendicular; upright Compare horizontal
a vertical wall
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extending in a perpendicular direction
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at or in the vertex or zenith; directly overhead
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economics of or relating to associated or consecutive, though not identical, stages of industrial activity
vertical integration
vertical amalgamation
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of or relating to the vertex
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anatomy of, relating to, or situated at the top of the head (vertex)
noun
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a vertical plane, position, or line
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a vertical post, pillar, or other structural member
Related Words
See upright.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of vertical
First recorded in 1550–60; from Latin verticālis, equivalent to vertic- (stem of vertex ) vertex + -ālis -al 1
Explanation
Vertical describes something that rises straight up from a horizontal line or plane. A telephone pole or a tree can usually be described as vertical in relation to the ground. The walls of your house — unless there's some terrible problem — are vertical. They rise straight up from the foundation, at a ninety degree angle. When you're standing up, you're vertical, as opposed to when you lie down in a horizontal position on the couch. The terms vertical and horizontal often describe directions: a vertical line goes up and down, and a horizontal line goes across. You can remember which direction is vertical by the letter, "v," which points down.
Vocabulary lists containing vertical
Expressions and Equations
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Geometry - Introductory
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The Number System
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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.
This can drive powerful thunderstorms overhead which can in turn lead to increased vertical wind shear in the Caribbean and Atlantic - meaning strong winds high in the atmosphere can tear storms apart.
From BBC • May 21, 2026
It generally supports fewer tropical storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic, because it can create strong vertical winds there that can tilt or tear those systems before they strengthen.
From Barron's • May 21, 2026
The three suburban counties of Boone, Kenton, and Campbell run in vertical slices, each taking part of the Cincinnati suburbs south of the Ohio River and running south through exurbs and eventually rural areas.
From Slate • May 19, 2026
Behind stand the columns, echoed in vertical majesty by the thick tree trunks rising behind them on the other side of the park wall.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026
My reflection twinkles in large orange eyes with slitted vertical pupils.
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
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.
