vocal
Americanadjective
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of, relating to, or uttered with the voice.
the vocal mechanism;
vocal criticism.
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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.
In spite of the characters’ separate upbringing, Miyamoto still wanted to convey their bond in her vocal performance.
From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026
At 93, the "Downtown" legend still relishes the connection between audience and performer, and the humanity in delivering a vocal -- two things AI songs might eliminate.
From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026
The piano-driven number “Some of Us” features a lead vocal from Mr. Richards, and it hints at what the album is missing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
Burrell became a vocal advocate in the fight against the disease, with campaign work focused on government funding, better diagnostic times, and the advancement of clinical trials.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
To that end, he became a constant and often vocal critic of the lead industry and its interests.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
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.
