verbalized

Verbalized is the past tense and past participle of the verb verbalize, meaning to express ideas, thoughts, or information in words. The act may involve stating, articulating, or outlining in spoken or written language. Etymology traces to the Latin verbum meaning “word,” with later development through English.

The noun forms are verbalization (American spelling) and verbalisation (British spelling). In everyday use, verbalizing is the process of turning nonverbal knowledge, feelings, or observations into verbal form; to vocalize has a related emphasis on sound and vocal expression. The term is often used across disciplines to denote the conversion of internal content into spoken or written language.

In psychology and cognitive science, verbalization describes the process of articulating thoughts to reveal cognitive strategies, as in think-aloud protocols. Researchers analyze participants’ verbalizations to understand reasoning, problem-solving, and decision-making. In clinical settings, therapists and clinicians may request or record verbalizations to document patient concerns, symptoms, or responses to treatment.

In communication studies and artificial intelligence, verbalization can refer to rendering user intent or internal states into natural language responses or descriptions. The concept also appears in education and training, where learners verbalize their reasoning to demonstrate understanding or receive feedback.

Verbalized contrasts with nonverbal communication, such as facial expressions or gestures, which convey information without words. Spelling variants include verbalize (American) and verbalise (British). Related terms include verbalization as a process, and verbal utterance as a produced unit of speech.