consisting of or in the form of words: verbal imagery.
expressed in spoken words; oral rather than written: verbal communication; verbal agreement.
consisting of or expressed in words (as opposed to actions): a verbal protest.
pertaining to or concerned with words only (as opposed to ideas, facts, or realities): a purely verbal distinction between two concepts.
corresponding word for word; verbatim: a verbal translation.
using words: verbal facility.
based on the use of words (as opposed to other activity): a verbal score in a test; verbal IQ.
Grammar.
of, relating to, or derived from a verb: verbal nouns and adjectives.
used in a sentence as or like a verb.
used to form verbs: the verbal ending “-ed.”
noun
Grammar.
a word derived from a verb, especially one used as a noun or an adjective, as, in English, a gerund, participle, or infinitive.
a word or words used in a sentence as or like a verb.
Origin of verbal
First recorded in 1485–95; from Middle French, from Latin verbālis, equivalent to verb(um) “word, speech” + -ālis adjective sufix; see word,-al1
SYNONYMS FOR verbal
3 spoken.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR verbal ON THESAURUS.COM
usage note for verbal
3, 4. Verbal has had the meaning “spoken” since the late 16th century and is thus synonymous with oral:He wrote a memorandum to confirm the verbal agreement. Slightly earlier, verbal had developed the meaning “expressed in words, whether spoken or written (as opposed to actions)”: Verbal support is no help without money and supplies. Although some say that the use of verbal to mean “spoken” produces ambiguity, it rarely does so. Verbal is used in this sense in all varieties of speech and writing and is fully standard. The context usually makes the meaning clear: No documents are necessary; a verbal agreement (or contract or order ) will suffice.Oral can be used instead of verbal if the context demands: My lawyer insists on a written contract because oral agreements are too difficult to enforce.
Most members of the San Diego City Council boycotted Tuesday’s closed session hearing in protest of City Attorney Mara Elliott’s decision to provide verbal rather than written legal reports after someone leaked information last week to NBC 7.
Morning Report: The Seditious Language Law’s Origin Story|Voice of San Diego|August 5, 2020|Voice of San Diego
The review board report ultimately concluded that Browder’s actions were reasonable only if he’d shouted verbal commands to Nehad prior to shooting him.
Police Review Board Was Denied Docs, Interviews in 2015 Shooting Review|Sara Libby|July 22, 2020|Voice of San Diego
Hernandez told investigators she reported being fearful of “verbal attack.”
Accusations Flew, Then National School District Official Got Paid to Resign|Ashly McGlone|July 20, 2020|Voice of San Diego
When staff finally released him –after everyone else in his building – he got into a verbal dispute with an officer who was working on the floor that night.
Donovan Inmates Plead for Protection, Allege Retaliation Following Lawsuit|Maya Srikrishnan|July 2, 2020|Voice of San Diego
Do you know how when we grew up, students would call themselves, proudly, verbal kids or math kids, so you could get an 800 on the verbal section even though you didn’t like numbers and you never had to encounter them.
America’s Math Curriculum Doesn’t Add Up (Ep. 391)|Steven D. Levitt|October 3, 2019|Freakonomics
In movies, that language, visual and verbal, has yet to be mastered.
Why Can’t Movies Capture Genius?|Clive Irving|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He reiterated the statements “I am not a politician” and “I am not a political advisor” so often that it seemed like a verbal tic.
Obamacare Architect: I Wanted to Sound Smart|Ben Jacobs|December 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Because of the verbal abuse and death threats coming my way, these women seemed to identify with me.
During Advent, Lots of Waiting, But Not Enough Hope|Gene Robinson|December 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The verbal irony in the story would have played well in the first century.
The Barabbas Theory of Voting: Bible Story Shows Tough Choices for Midterms|Jay Parini|November 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
There are no verbal crescendos; there is very little emotion and no drama at all.
Martin Luther King’s Nobel Speech Is an Often Ignored Masterpiece|Malcolm Jones|October 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Monny (after a sandy introduction) listened to these verbal vandalisms in horrified silence.
It Happened in Egypt|C. N. Williamson
"I shall have to check the verbal information after all," said Nigel as he put back his hat and papers on the table.
The Sixth Sense|Stephen McKenna
And this very age, which claims to admit only the force that is mathematically proved, will be extinguished by verbal idealism.
Very Woman|Remy de Gourmont
In this form the melody prevails over the matter; the style inclines to become precious and garnished with verbal artifice.
Studies in Literature and History|Sir Alfred Comyn Lyall
And Jefferson wielded his verbal cat-o'-nine-tails on Washington's order to put the rebellion down by armed forces.
The Life of John Marshall (Volume 2 of 4)|Albert J. Beveridge
British Dictionary definitions for verbal
verbal
/ (ˈvɜːbəl) /
adjective
of, relating to, or using words, esp as opposed to ideas, etcmerely verbal concessions
oral rather than writtena verbal agreement
verbatim; literalan almost verbal copy
grammarof or relating to verbs or a verb
noun
grammar another word for verbid
(plural)slangabuse or invectivenew forms of on-field verbals
(plural)slanga criminal's admission of guilt on arrest
verb-bals, -ballingor-balled(tr)
slang(of the police) to implicate (someone) in a crime by quoting alleged admission of guilt in court