1
as in linguistic
of or relating to words or language the child didn't yet have the verbal skills needed to tell the doctor about the pain he was experiencing

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2
as in oral
made or carried on through speaking rather than in writing a verbal agreement carries less force than a written contract

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of verbal These were meetings of twenty-five or so women, each of whom paid the substantial sum of ten dollars to hear Fuller exercise her verbal brilliance in the course of a thirteen-week-long series, in semiprivate settings. James Marcus, New Yorker, 2 June 2025 The incident began with a verbal argument, according to Pembroke Pines Police. Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 31 May 2025 Detectives said the suspect approached the home and aggressively began pounding and kicking the door, spewing racist remarks and verbal threats in reference to a Palestinian flag displayed on an upstairs window. Jasmine Mendez, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2025 Owners are advised to use consistent verbal cues and redirection techniques, along with positive reinforcement. Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for verbal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for verbal
Adjective
  • The result is a persistent gap between models that can speak many languages and those that can function across linguistic contexts.
    Alessa Cross, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
  • Our business, civic, educational, faith, media and political leaders have learned how to navigate these linguistic minefields.
    Jay Tcath, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2025
Adjective
  • The ruling comes ahead of a June 30 oral argument in a related case before the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in Texas, where Judge James Ho, a Trump appointee, previously criticized the Supreme Court for punting the matter back to his court.
    Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 7 June 2025
  • The Supreme Court agrees to hear the Justice Department's appeal of the 9th Circuit ruling, leading to oral arguments.
    Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 6 June 2025
Adjective
  • Others lauded Fox for his performance but questioned why city staff and the outside search firm working on the hire haven’t been more communicative with council members, including about the pauses in the hiring process.
    Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 10 June 2025
  • For tenants who are communicative and experiencing short-term financial hardships such as those two CPS workers, the rental assistance program is effective, Lee said.
    Lizzie Kane, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2025
Adjective
  • Trump has also repeatedly undercut Zelenskyy and provided rhetorical support to Putin, expressing skepticism of any criticism directed toward the Russian leader, and seeking to force Ukraine to make territorial concessions without guaranteeing their freedom and sovereignty in the future.
    Editorial, Boston Herald, 13 June 2025
  • In the first debate last week, Cuomo largely steered clear of any rhetorical hiccups.
    Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 13 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Verbal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/verbal. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.

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