verbally

Verbally is an adverb describing something expressed in spoken form, by word of mouth, or through speech rather than in writing or with nonverbal means. It is often used to indicate that an action or agreement was conveyed verbally rather than in a written document.

The word is derived from the adjective verbal, which itself comes from Latin verbum, meaning "word," through Old French, with the suffix -al forming an adjective and -ly forming the adverb. In modern English, verbally emphasizes the spoken aspect of communication or order.

Usage considerations include that verbally can be somewhat redundant when the surrounding context already makes clear that speech is involved. For example, say “They confirmed the date verbally” rather than “They verbally confirmed the date.” Some writers prefer orally to highlight spoken delivery, while verbally may be used for emphasis on the act of speaking.

In legal and administrative contexts, verbal (or oral) contracts or agreements denote that an agreement was made by spoken words rather than in writing. Because verbal also has a separate meaning related to verbs in grammar, the adverb verbally is typically reserved for contexts involving spoken language to avoid ambiguity.

See also: orally, verbal, nonverbal, spoken communication, written communication.