verbal
gb/vˈɚbəl/ us/vˈɚbəl/
B1
英语
~ 9800
义项
0 个义项
adjective
B1
property
1
spoken rather than written
Spoken in words and not written on paper or a screen.
用法模式：
a verbal [agreement/warning/instruction]
常见错误：
Learners sometimes think "verbal" always includes both spoken and written language. In everyday use, especially in phrases like "verbal agreement" or "verbal warning", it almost always means spoken, not written. In many formal style guides, however, "verbal" can technically mean "using words" in any form; learners should rely on the collocation: "oral exam" but "verbal agreement".
近义词
spoken (Direct everyday word; does not hint at any legal or formal context the way "verbal" often does in fixed phrases.)
|
oral (More formal and common in academic, legal, or medical contexts (e.g., oral exam, oral testimony).)
反义词
written (Direct opposite in terms of how language is expressed: on paper/screen instead of spoken aloud.)
搭配
verbal agreement
|verbal warning
|verbal instructions
|verbal promise
|verbal report
|verbal confirmation
主题
communication
|law
|daily life
|education
例句
- We reached a verbal agreement, but nothing has been signed yet.
- The manager gave him a verbal warning about his poor performance.
- Employees received only verbal instructions and nothing in writing.
- She made a verbal promise to pay back the money by Friday.
- Their verbal report of the incident differed from the written one.
学习者例句
- The teacher gave us a verbal test today.
- My boss gave me a verbal warning, not a letter.
- We only have a verbal agreement, not a contract.
- He made a verbal promise to help me.
- I got verbal instructions from my coach before the game.
adjective
B2
property
2
relating to words or language
About words and language, not about pictures, movement, or other ways of sending messages.
用法模式：
verbal [communication/skills/ability/reasoning]
常见错误：
Learners sometimes confuse this sense with the purely "spoken" sense. In phrases like "verbal skills" or "verbal reasoning", "verbal" refers more broadly to using language, not just speaking. It can include reading and writing, depending on context.
近义词
linguistic (More formal and often used in academic or technical contexts about language study.)
|
spoken (Overlaps in some cases, but "spoken" focuses on sound; "verbal" can include written language in this broader sense.)
反义词
nonverbal (Covers communication without words, such as gestures, facial expressions, or images.)
搭配
verbal communication
|verbal skills
|verbal ability
|verbal message
|verbal reasoning
|verbal fluency
主题
communication
|education
|psychology
例句
- Good verbal communication is essential in customer service roles.
- The test measures both verbal and numerical reasoning.
- Her strong verbal skills helped her succeed in the interview.
- Therapy focused on improving his verbal and nonverbal social cues.
- The study compared verbal and visual memory in older adults.
学习者例句
- Children learn verbal skills from their parents.
- He has good verbal communication with his team.
- The exam has a verbal part and a math part.
- She wants to improve her verbal ability in English.
- We use both verbal and nonverbal language every day.
adjective
B2
property
3
using harsh or abusive words
Using words to hurt, attack, or insult someone.
用法模式：
verbal [abuse/attack/assault/threats]
常见错误：
Learners may think "verbal abuse" involves physical violence because of the word "abuse". In this phrase, it specifically means using words to hurt or attack someone. They may also overuse this strong phrase for small arguments; in English it usually suggests repeated or serious mistreatment.
近义词
abusive (Broader; can refer to physical or emotional mistreatment, not only words, but often used similarly in context like "abusive language".)
|
insulting (Focuses on being rude or offensive, not necessarily on the repeated or serious nature that "verbal abuse" implies.)
反义词
supportive (Describes speech that helps and encourages, the opposite emotional effect of abusive language.)
|
respectful (Indicates polite, considerate language, contrasting with rude, attacking speech.)
搭配
verbal abuse
|verbal attack
|verbal assault
|verbal threats
|verbal harassment
主题
emotions
|conflict
|law
|communication
例句
- Witnesses reported ongoing verbal abuse from the coach toward the players.
- She decided to leave the job after months of verbal attacks from her supervisor.
- The policy clearly states that verbal harassment will not be tolerated.
- He was arrested for making verbal threats against a neighbor.
- Online verbal assault can be just as damaging as physical bullying.
学习者例句
- The children suffered verbal abuse at school.
- She left him because of his verbal attacks.
- Verbal threats can make people feel very afraid.
- The company does not allow verbal harassment.
- He apologized for his verbal comments last night.
adjective
technical
C1
property
4
related to verbs in grammar
About verbs in grammar, or made from a verb.
用法模式：
verbal [noun/adjective/phrase/form]
常见错误：
Learners sometimes confuse the grammatical term "verbal" (related to verbs) with the everyday use of "verbal" meaning "spoken". In grammar books, always check if "verbal" refers to verbs rather than speaking.
近义词
verb-based (Informal descriptive paraphrase used in explanations, not a standard technical term.)
反义词
nonverbal (In grammar discussions, may refer to forms not based on verbs, such as nouns or adjectives.)
搭配
verbal noun
|verbal adjective
|verbal phrase
|verbal form
|verbal morphology
主题
language
|grammar
|education
|communication
例句
- In this language, the verbal system has a complex set of tenses.
- The term "gerund" refers to a type of verbal noun in English grammar.
- She wrote her thesis on verbal morphology in West African languages.
- Students often confuse verbal adjectives with participles.
- The article provides an overview of verbal and nominal phrases.
学习者例句
- The teacher explained what a verbal noun is.
- In this grammar book, we study the verbal system.
- A gerund is one kind of verbal in English.
- Linguists talk about verbal and nominal forms.
- He is interested in verbal endings in Spanish.
adjective
B2
property
5
talkative or expressive with words
Good at speaking and saying what you think or feel; talking a lot or easily.
用法模式：
be verbal (about [something])
常见错误：
Learners sometimes assume "verbal" always means just "spoken" and miss this personality-related sense. In phrases like "a very verbal child" or "he is not very verbal", it describes how much or how easily someone speaks.
近义词
articulate (Focuses more on being clear and well-spoken, not just on talking a lot.)
|
talkative (Focuses on talking a lot; may sound slightly more informal and can sometimes be negative.)
反义词
quiet (Describes someone who does not speak much, the opposite of a highly verbal person.)
|
reserved (Suggests someone who keeps thoughts and feelings to themselves instead of expressing them verbally.)
搭配
very verbal
|highly verbal
|become more verbal
|a verbal child
|not very verbal
主题
personality
|communication
|relationships
例句
- She's very verbal for a two-year-old and already uses full sentences.
- In group therapy, some patients are less verbal than others.
- He became more verbal about his feelings after counseling.
- The child is intelligent but not very verbal in class.
- Highly verbal students may dominate class discussions.
学习者例句
- My son is very verbal and talks all day.
- Some people are quiet, but others are very verbal.
- After a few weeks, he became more verbal in English.
- She is smart, but she is not very verbal in meetings.
- The baby is starting to be verbal and say words.
语法
词典原形
verbal
IPA
GB/vˈɚbəl/
US/vˈɚbəl/
音节与重音
verbal （1 个音节）
Stress on 1st syllable (verbal)
词形变化
Adjective
- Base: verbal
词族
相关表达
verbal ability
1/vˈɚbəl əbˈɪləti/
fixed phrase
general language skill level
How good someone is at understanding and using language, especially in tests.
例句
- The exam measures verbal ability as well as math skills.
- Children show different levels of verbal ability at a young age.
verbal abuse
1/vˈɚbəl əbjˈus/
fixed phrase
hurtful or aggressive speech
Very bad and cruel language that someone uses again and again to hurt another person.
例句
- The coach was fired after reports of verbal abuse toward players.
- Verbal abuse at home can seriously damage a child's confidence.
verbal agreement
1/vˈɚbəl əɡɹˈimənt/
fixed phrase
spoken, not written, agreement
An agreement that people make by speaking, not by writing and signing a document.
例句
- They had only a verbal agreement, so it was hard to prove in court.
- A verbal agreement can be legally binding, but a written contract is safer.
verbal attack
1/vˈɚbəl ətˈæk/
fixed phrase
strong spoken criticism
A strong and often angry way of speaking that criticizes or insults someone.
例句
- The politician faced a fierce verbal attack from the opposition.
- Online verbal attacks can be very painful for teenagers.
verbal communication
1/vˈɚbəl kəmjˌunɪkˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
communication using language
Sending messages by using words, for example by speaking or writing.
例句
- Good verbal communication is important in any relationship.
- The course focuses on both verbal and nonverbal communication skills.
verbal contract
1/vˈɚbəl kˈɑntɹˌækt/
fixed phrase
contract agreed by speaking only
A contract that people make by speaking, without writing and signing a document.
例句
- They had a verbal contract, but the client later denied it.
- In some cases, a verbal contract is as valid as a written one.
verbal cue
1/vˈɚbəl kjˈu/
fixed phrase
spoken signal or hint
A word or phrase that tells someone it is time to do something or answers how they should act.
例句
- The teacher used simple verbal cues to guide the children.
- Actors wait for a specific verbal cue before entering the scene.
verbal diarrhoea
1/vˈɚbəl dˌaɪɚˈiə/
idiom
slang
talking far too much
When someone talks too much and too fast, in a silly or annoying way.
例句
- He gets verbal diarrhoea whenever he's nervous.
- After two hours of her verbal diarrhoea, everyone was exhausted.
verbal diarrhoea
1/vˈɚbəl dˌaɪɚˈiə/
idiom
informal
talking too much without control
talking too much and saying things without thinking
例句
- In meetings he can go on for ages—total verbal diarrhoea.
- She apologized for her verbal diarrhoea after the interview.
- The comments section was full of verbal diarrhoea and arguments.
verbal expression
1/vˈɚbəl ɪkspɹˈɛʃən/
fixed phrase
showing ideas or feelings in words
The way someone shows what they think or feel by using words.
例句
- Art therapy can help when verbal expression is difficult.
- Young children may need support with verbal expression of emotions.
verbal fluency
1/vˈɚbəl flˈuənsi/
fixed phrase
technical
ease and speed of speaking
How easily and quickly a person can say many words correctly.
例句
- The test is designed to measure verbal fluency in older adults.
- Bilingual speakers sometimes show higher verbal fluency in one language.
verbal fluency
1/vˈɚbəl flˈuənsi/
fixed phrase
technical
ability to produce words quickly
quickly finding and saying words (often in tests)
例句
- The neurologist used a verbal fluency task to assess language function.
- Stress and fatigue can reduce verbal fluency.
- Participants completed a verbal fluency test in under two minutes.
verbal harassment
1/vˈɚbəl hɚˈæsmənt/
fixed phrase
hostile or unwanted speech
When someone often uses bad or unkind words to another person and makes them feel bad or unsafe.
例句
- The company has strict rules against verbal harassment.
- Students reported verbal harassment from older classmates.
verbal instruction
1/vˈɚbəl ɪnstɹˈʌkʃən/
fixed phrase
teaching given by speaking
Teaching or directions that a person gives using spoken words.
例句
- The coach used verbal instruction instead of written drills.
- Some students learn better from visual aids than from verbal instruction.
verbal instructions
1/vˈɚbəl ɪnstɹˈʌkʃənz/
fixed phrase
spoken directions or orders
Directions that someone gives by speaking instead of writing them down.
例句
- New staff received only verbal instructions on how to use the machine.
- Verbal instructions can be misunderstood, so written steps are helpful.
verbal promise
1/vˈɚbəl pɹˈɑməs/
fixed phrase
spoken promise, not written
A promise that a person says but does not write down.
例句
- He gave a verbal promise to repay the loan within a month.
- A verbal promise can be easily forgotten or denied.
verbal reasoning
1/vˈɚbəl ɹˈizənɪŋ/
fixed phrase
technical
logical thinking with words
Thinking and solving problems by using and understanding words and sentences.
例句
- Many entrance exams include a section on verbal reasoning.
- The test assesses verbal reasoning through short reading passages.
verbal report
1/vˈɚbəl ɹɪpˈɔɹt/
fixed phrase
spoken report or update
Information that someone gives by speaking, not in a written document.
例句
- The engineer gave a verbal report at the meeting.
- We need a written report, not just a verbal report.
verbal response
1/vˈɚbəl ɹɪspˈɑns/
fixed phrase
answer given by speaking
An answer that someone says aloud, not writes.
例句
- The child gave no verbal response to the doctor's questions.
- We need a written statement, not just a verbal response.
verbal skills
1/vˈɚbəl skˈɪlz/
fixed phrase
ability to use words well
The ability to use words well when you speak or write.
例句
- Her strong verbal skills make her an excellent presenter.
- The job requires good verbal skills and basic computer knowledge.
verbal tic
1/vˈɚbəl tˈɪk/
fixed phrase
unconscious repeated speech habit
A sound or short word that someone says again and again without wanting to, like a habit.
例句
- Saying "you know" at the end of every sentence became a verbal tic.
- The comedian joked about his own verbal tics on stage.
verbal warning
1/vˈɚbəl wˈɔɹnɪŋ/
fixed phrase
spoken warning about behavior
A warning that is given by speaking, often at work or school, to say that bad behavior must stop.
例句
- The employee received a verbal warning for being late three times.
- Under company policy, a verbal warning comes before a written one.