vocal

American  

[voh-kuhl] / ˈvoʊ kəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or uttered with the voice.

   the vocal mechanism;

   vocal criticism.

2. rendered by or intended for singing.

   vocal music.

3. having a voice.

   A dog is a vocal, but not a verbal, being.

4. giving forth sound with or as with a voice.

5. inclined to express oneself in words, especially copiously or insistently.

   a vocal advocate of reform.

   Synonyms:

   outspoken, vociferous

6. Phonetics.

   1. vocalic.

   2. voiced.

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noun

1. a vocal sound.

2. a musical piece for a singer, usually with instrumental accompaniment.

vocal British  

/ ˈvəʊkəl, vəʊˈkælɪtɪ /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or designed for the voice

   vocal music

2. produced or delivered by the voice

   vocal noises

3. connected with an attribute or the production of the voice

   vocal organs

4. frequently disposed to outspoken speech, criticism, etc

   a vocal minority

5. full of sound or voices

   a vocal assembly

6. endowed with a voice

7. eloquent or meaningful

8. phonetics

   1. of or relating to a speech sound

   2. of or relating to a voiced speech sound, esp a vowel

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noun

1. a piece of jazz or pop music that is sung

2. a performance of such a piece of music

Other Word Forms

• vocality
  noun
• vocalness
  noun
• nonvocal
  adjective
• nonvocally
  adverb
• vocally
  adverb

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."

Example Sentences

Here, Fay Victor, a uniquely daring and creative singer, adorns her vocal with all manner of creaking, wailing, moaning and scatting, yet she maintains Bey’s feeling of directing a congregation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 22, 2026

TikTok this week banned the account of one of the movement's most vocal leaders, Jacinta Ngobese‑Zuma, which had more than 378,000 followers, but her other social media accounts remained active.

From Barron's • Jun. 19, 2026

Rickles’ vocal turn as the sarcastic but devoted Mr. Potato Head along with John Ratzenberger’s wisecracking piggy bank Hamm gave the first three “Toy Story” movies a sharp edge that balanced their sentimentality.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 17, 2026

The vocal writing, even in the conversational sections, is distinctive, and Sara Gartland was revelatory in the punishing role of Blanche.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 15, 2026

I’m trying to keep my tone light, but my vocal cords go all husky and weird.

From "The Sun Is Also a Star" by Nicola Yoon

Related Words

• articulate
• blunt
• eloquent
• expressive
• forthright
• outspoken
• strident
• vociferous