1
a
: of, relating to, or consisting of words
verbal instructions
b
: of, relating to, or involving words rather than meaning or substance
a consistency that is merely verbal and scholastic—
B. N. Cardozo
B. N. Cardozo
c
: consisting of or using words only and not involving action
verbal abuse
2
: of, relating to, or formed from a verb
a verbal adjective
3
: spoken rather than written
a verbal contract
4
: verbatim, word-for-word
a verbal translation
5
: of or relating to facility in the use and comprehension of words
verbal aptitude
: a word that combines characteristics of a verb with those of a noun or adjective compare gerund, infinitive, participle
Synonyms
Examples of verbal in a Sentence
Adjective
He scored well on the verbal section of the test.
They had a verbal exchange.
a verbal agreement to finish the work
We gave only verbal instructions.
Recent Examples on the WebCynthia Pong, Jd, Forbes, 22 Sep. 2024
Under the direction of Curious artistic director Jada Suzanne Dixon, the actors portraying the titular septet display an ace sense of comedic timing (physical and verbal), one that nods to Molière but also to Clare Boothe Luce.
—Lisa Kennedy, The Denver Post, 19 Sep. 2024
Last month, the Trump campaign was accused of engaging in a physical and verbal altercation with a staffer at Arlington National Cemetery while the former president was there to mark the third anniversary of the deaths of 13 service members in Afghanistan.
—Katherine Faulders, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2024
Pea Ridge police responded around 7:54 p.m. Saturday to a call about a verbal disturbance in the area of 2385 John W. Montgomery Circle in the Givens Place subdivision, according to a news release from Pea Ridge police spokesman Lt. John Langham.
—Nwa Democrat-Gazette, arkansasonline.com, 16 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for verbal 
Adjective
Follow through on verbal commitments and promises—no matter how small.
—Cynthia Pong, Jd, Forbes, 22 Sep. 2024
Under the direction of Curious artistic director Jada Suzanne Dixon, the actors portraying the titular septet display an ace sense of comedic timing (physical and verbal), one that nods to Molière but also to Clare Boothe Luce.
—Lisa Kennedy, The Denver Post, 19 Sep. 2024
Last month, the Trump campaign was accused of engaging in a physical and verbal altercation with a staffer at Arlington National Cemetery while the former president was there to mark the third anniversary of the deaths of 13 service members in Afghanistan.
—Katherine Faulders, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2024
Pea Ridge police responded around 7:54 p.m. Saturday to a call about a verbal disturbance in the area of 2385 John W. Montgomery Circle in the Givens Place subdivision, according to a news release from Pea Ridge police spokesman Lt. John Langham.
—Nwa Democrat-Gazette, arkansasonline.com, 16 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for verbal
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'verbal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near verbal
Cite this Entry
“Verbal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/verbal. Accessed 28 Sep. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
verbal
2 of 2 noun
: a word that combines characteristics of a verb with those of a noun or adjective
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