nonverbal
adjective
non·ver·bal
ˌnän-ˈvər-bəl 
: not verbal: such as
a
: not involving or using words
Still, this pope projects eloquence in his off-the-cuff remarks or even during the long interludes between speeches when he is engaged in nonverbal communication with individuals and crowds.—
John S. Driscoll
John S. Driscoll… psychological aggression refers to both coercive verbal behaviors (e.g., insulting or swearing at partner) and coercive nonverbal behaviors that are not directed at the partner's body (e.g., slamming doors or smashing objects).—Alan E. Kazdin et al.
Alan E. Kazdin et al.
b
: being other than verbal
… some hidden, nonverbal quality of her life that could only be alluded to in the act of painting.—Diane Armitage
Diane Armitage
c
: lacking or appearing to lack the ability to engage in speech
She finds she can communicate with nonverbal children using drum beats, for example.—Robert S. Greenberger
Robert S. GreenbergerExamples of nonverbal in a Sentence
Facial expressions are very important for nonverbal communication.
Recent Examples on the Web
Ahead of his April 12 birthday, Cruz is mostly nonverbal, Brittany said.
—Angel Saunders, People.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Cruz has become mostly nonverbal.
—Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
His family later confirmed that Perez has autism and is nonverbal, intellectually disabled and physically impaired by cerebral palsy.
—David Matthews, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2025
Julia, a nonverbal Sesame Street character with autism, often joins a Kids Camp for art projects to help children with autism feel more comfortable.
—Jamie Davis Smith, AFAR Media, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nonverbal
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Angel Saunders, People.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Cruz has become mostly nonverbal.
—Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
His family later confirmed that Perez has autism and is nonverbal, intellectually disabled and physically impaired by cerebral palsy.
—David Matthews, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2025
Julia, a nonverbal Sesame Street character with autism, often joins a Kids Camp for art projects to help children with autism feel more comfortable.
—Jamie Davis Smith, AFAR Media, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nonverbal
Cite this Entry
“Nonverbal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonverbal. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
nonverbal
adjective
non·ver·bal
(ˈ)nän-ˈvər-bəl
1
: being other than verbal
nonverbal symbols
2
: involving little use of language
nonverbal tests
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