VERBAL Synonyms: 34 Similar and Opposite Words

verbal

adjective

ˈvər-bəl

Definition of verbal

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in oral

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Douglas County, Nevada, sheriff’s deputies said the charges stemmed from a verbal and physical altercation with a brewpub employee, the Daily Tribune reported at the time. — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 14 Aug. 2026 Through rapid-fire verbal repartee, constant close-ups, and frantic cuts, Deramas treads a careful line between tragedy and comedy, the latter a psychological weapon against the former. — Lé Baltar, IndieWire, 13 Aug. 2026 Their verbal volley is interrupted as each of them frantically googles quotes and facts on everything from the Zionist leader Jabotinsky to the American actor Jordan Peele. — Hannah Seligson, Vanity Fair, 12 Aug. 2026 More law enforcement responded to the scene, and members of the Elko County SWAT team issued verbal commands to Pedersen, who was barricaded in a bedroom, the sheriff's office said. — Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for verbal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for verbal

Adjective

Linguistic exogamy means marrying outside your linguistic group.

— Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 12 Aug. 2026
English and Swahili are widely used in worship, alongside numerous indigenous languages, reflecting the linguistic and cultural diversity of the church’s membership.

— Stephanie TriplettAll, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of linguistic

Adjective

According to the latest report, Eli Lilly's oral GLP-1 drug Foundayo is starting to gain ground on Novo Nordisk's oral Wegovy.

— Jeff Marks, CNBC, 17 Aug. 2026
Depending on what’s in them, e-cigarettes can pose risks to heart, circulatory, lung and oral health.

— Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, The Conversation, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of oral

Adjective

Now, from membership in the Nazi Party to the facts behind family lineage or legends, communicative memory no longer has the final word.

— Fern Schumer Chapman, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026
Steering is accurate without being particularly communicative, but that's perfectly appropriate for this car.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 20 July 2026

Definition of communicative

Browse Nearby Words

verandas

verbal

verbalism

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Style

“Verbal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/verbal. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of verbal

adjective

Example Sentences

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