vertical
adjective
ver·ti·cal
ˈvər-ti-kəl 
1
a
: perpendicular to the plane of the horizon or to a primary axis : upright
b(1)
: located at right angles to the plane of a supporting surface
(2)
: lying in the direction of an axis : lengthwise
2
a
: situated at the highest point : directly overhead or in the zenith
b
of an aerial photograph
: taken with the camera pointing straight down or nearly so
3
a
: relating to, involving, or integrating economic activity from basic production to point of sale
a vertical monopoly
b
: of, relating to, or comprising persons of different status
the vertical arrangement of society
4
medical
: relating to or being transmission (as of a disease) by genetic inheritance or by a congenital or perinatal route
vertical inheritance
… decreasing the rate of vertical transmission of HIV to the fetus by two-thirds, so that the numbers of children with the condition are diminishing.—
Cynthia B. Cohen
compare horizontal sense 3
Cynthia B. Cohen
vertical
noun
Examples of vertical in a Sentence
a shirt with vertical stripes
the vertical axis of a graph
Recent Examples on the Web
Intelligent flight modes allow for precise subject tracking while the camera can capture up to 4K 60 FPS video, alongside slow motion and vertical video in both Normal and D-Log M color profiles.
—James Abbott, Space.com, 23 Feb. 2026
Size-wise, the summit tops out at 2,808 feet, with about 1,500 feet of vertical drop across roughly 60 trails and 10 lifts, and 45 percent of the trails are intentionally gladed, meaning there are plenty of options.
—Claire Sibonney, Travel + Leisure, 23 Feb. 2026
It is equipped with eight vertical launch system (VLS) tubes, doubling the launcher count carried by earlier Arihant-class submarines.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 23 Feb. 2026
When cutting food, holding the meat with the fork in an awkward vertical position.
—Judith Martin, Mercury News, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for vertical
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James Abbott, Space.com, 23 Feb. 2026
Size-wise, the summit tops out at 2,808 feet, with about 1,500 feet of vertical drop across roughly 60 trails and 10 lifts, and 45 percent of the trails are intentionally gladed, meaning there are plenty of options.
—Claire Sibonney, Travel + Leisure, 23 Feb. 2026
It is equipped with eight vertical launch system (VLS) tubes, doubling the launcher count carried by earlier Arihant-class submarines.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 23 Feb. 2026
When cutting food, holding the meat with the fork in an awkward vertical position.
—Judith Martin, Mercury News, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for vertical
Cite this Entry
“Vertical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vertical. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
vertical
adjective
ver·ti·cal
ˈvərt-i-kəl
: relating to or being transmission (as of a disease) by genetic inheritance or by a congenital or perinatal route
vertical transmission of the hepatitis B virus from mother to infant
vertical inheritance
compare horizontal sense 2
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