nonverbal

adjective

non·​ver·​bal ˌnän-ˈvər-bəl 

: not verbal: such as

a

: not involving or using words

Still, this pope projects eloquence in his off-the-cuff remarks or even during the long interludes between speeches when he is engaged in nonverbal communication with individuals and crowds.

—John S. Driscoll

… psychological aggression refers to both coercive verbal behaviors (e.g., insulting or swearing at partner) and coercive nonverbal behaviors that are not directed at the partner's body (e.g., slamming doors or smashing objects).

—Alan E. Kazdin et al.

b

: being other than verbal

… some hidden, nonverbal quality of her life that could only be alluded to in the act of painting.

—Diane Armitage

c

: lacking or appearing to lack the ability to engage in speech

She finds she can communicate with nonverbal children using drum beats, for example.

—Robert S. Greenberger

nonverbally

ˌnän-ˈvər-bə-lē 

adverb

Examples of nonverbal in a Sentence

Facial expressions are very important for nonverbal communication.

Recent Examples on the Web

Horne has a 9-year-old, nonverbal autistic son who also attends the Charles County Public Schools District. —Greta Cross, USA TODAY, 14 Dec. 2024

The man, who is nonverbal, was later confirmed to be Nasseri's brother after a detective with the Los Angeles Police Department's Missing Persons Unit was able to get his fingerprint. —Christina Shaw, Fox News, 28 Nov. 2024

Like, big, hulking, destructive, nonverbal, kind of scary but kind of cute, fuzzy monsters. —Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 22 Nov. 2024

Pay attention to nonverbal cues The tone of voice, body language and other gestures can tell you a lot about what a speaker is trying to communicate. —Caroline Castrillon, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

nonverbal

adjective

non·​ver·​bal (ˈ)nän-ˈvər-bəl 

1

: being other than verbal

nonverbal symbols

2

: involving little use of language

nonverbal tests

nonverbally

-bə-lē 

adverb