What does "verbal" mean?
A verb form which does not function as a predicate, or a word derived from a verb. In English, infinitives, participles and gerunds are verbals.
Verbal
/ˈvɜː.bəl/ adj, noun, verb, slang
adj, noun, verb, slang ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A verb form which does not function as a predicate, or a word derived from a verb. In English, infinitives, participles and gerunds are verbals.
- Grammar: verbal is listed as adj, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: adjectival, adverbial, answering, articulated.
- Useful contrasts: implied, non-verbal, unsaid.
- Usage evidence: However, only the human community has verbal languages as a means of communication.
How to use "verbal"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "verbal" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "verbal" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "verbal" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "verbal" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "verbal" is acting as adj, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "adjectival" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "verbal", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A verb form which does not function as a predicate, or a word derived from a verb. In English, infinitives, participles and gerunds are verbals. countable
- 2 A spoken confession given to police. Ireland, UK, countable
"They were convicted on the evidence of an agent provocateur named Richard Seary, backed up by police verbals from three police officers who gave evidence of six verbals in which the three accused were supposed to have admitted their guilt."
- 3 Talk; speech, especially banter or scolding. Ireland, UK, colloquial, uncountable
"We'd give him a bit of verbal, out would come the bouncers, chucking their weight about, and it would all end in a right tear-up."
Verb
- 1 To allege (usually falsely) that someone has made an oral admission. Australia, British, transitive
"The problem of 'verballing' is unlikely to disappear, whatever the legal status of the person detained."
Adjective
- 1 Of or relating to words. not-comparable
- 2 Concerned with the words, rather than the substance of a text. not-comparable
- 3 Consisting of words only. not-comparable
"We subjoin an engraving […] which will give the reader a far better notion of the structure than any verbal description could convey to the mind."
- 4 Expressly spoken rather than written; oral. not-comparable
"a verbal contract"
- 5 Derived from, or having the nature of a verb. not-comparable
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- 6 Used to form a verb. not-comparable
- 7 Capable of speech. not-comparable
"How do these language problems affect the behaviour of verbal children?"
- 8 Word for word. not-comparable
"a verbal translation"
- 9 Abounding with words; verbose. not-comparable, obsolete
"You put me to forget a lady’s manners By being so verbal; and learn now, for all, That I, which know my heart, do here pronounce By th’ very truth of it, I care not for you"
Adjective
- 1 communicated in the form of words wordnet
- 2 tediously prolonged or tending to speak or write at great length wordnet
- 3 relating to or having facility in the use of words wordnet
- 4 expressed in spoken words wordnet
- 5 of or relating to or formed from a verb wordnet
Show 1 more definition
- 6 of or relating to or formed from words in general wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"However, only the human community has verbal languages as a means of communication."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "verbal"?
Common synonyms include: adjectival, adverbial, answering, articulated, assess linguistic ability, attributive.
How do you use "verbal" in a sentence?
However, only the human community has verbal languages as a means of communication.
How do you pronounce "verbal"?
Pronounced /ˈvɜː.bəl/.
Etymology
From Old French verbal, from Late Latin verbālis (“belonging to a word”). Equivalent to verb + -al.