Verbal (Adjective)

Meaning ¹

Expressed in spoken words; "a verbal contract".

Classification

All adjective clusters.

Examples

• The manager gave a verbal warning to the employee who was late to work three times in a row.
• The agreement was only a verbal understanding, they didn't sign a written contract.
• A verbal apology was offered to the client who had filed a complaint about the poor service.
• The company policy stated that any verbal abuse towards colleagues would result in disciplinary action.
• The team leader provided verbal instructions on how to operate the new equipment.

Meaning ²

Of or relating to or formed from words in general; "verbal ability".

Classification

Relational adjectives (pertainyms).

Examples

• She has exceptional verbal skills, often expressing herself eloquently in meetings and presentations.
• The company values verbal communication, encouraging employees to share their thoughts and ideas openly.
• His verbal abilities made him a great storyteller, captivating audiences with his words.
• The test assesses a person's verbal intelligence, measuring their ability to understand and process language.
• Verbal warnings were issued to the employees who consistently failed to meet their performance targets.

Related Words

• Word (noun)

Meaning ³

Prolix; "you put me to forget a lady's manners by being so verbal"- Shakespeare.

Classification

All adjective clusters.

Usages

• Archaicism

Examples

• He dominated the conversation with his verbal flow, barely allowing others to interject a word.
• Her verbal dexterity is impressive, but sometimes she says too much.
• The professor's verbal digressions made the lecture go well over time.
• With his verbal acrobatics, the speaker managed to confuse the audience.
• The politician's verbal gymnastics were clear attempts to sidestep direct answers.

Meaning ⁴

Of or relating to or formed from a verb; "verbal adjectives like `running' in `hot and cold running water'".

Classification

Relational adjectives (pertainyms).

Examples

• The verbal adjectives in the sentence "hot and cold running water" describe the type of water being referred to.
• In the phrase "a going concern", going is a verbal noun that functions as an adjective.
• Verbal nouns like "running" and "smoking" can be used as adjectives to describe various things.
• The verbal adjective "working" is used to describe women who earn a salary in the phrase "working women".
• Verbal phrases like "well-educated" can be used to modify nouns in a sentence.

Related Words

• Verb (noun)

Meaning ⁵

Communicated in the form of words; "verbal imagery"; "a verbal protest".

Classification

All adjective clusters.

Examples

• The politician's verbal attacks on her opponent sparked a heated debate.
• The instructions were given verbally, rather than being written down.
• Her verbal skills made her a shining star in the debate competition.
• The professor's verbal cues helped the students to follow along with the complex lecture.
• The verbal sparring match between the two comedians had the audience in stitches.

Meaning ⁶

Relating to or having facility in the use of words; "a good poet is a verbal artist"; "a merely verbal writer who sacrifices content to sound"; "verbal aptitude".

Classification

All adjective clusters.

Examples

• The professor was impressed by the student's verbal skills in the debate competition.
• Her verbal talents as a public speaker earned her a job as a TV news anchor.
• Verbal assault charges were filed against the suspect after a heated argument.
• The verbal section of the exam tested the candidate's ability to think critically.
• A good lawyer needs verbal skills to persuade the judge and jury.

Antonyms

• Numerical