Standard Lemma guide

verbalize

verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈvɜɹbəlaɪz/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: V ER1 B AH0 L AY2 Z Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To speak or to use words to express.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • Bill became tongue-tied and could not verbalize his thoughts in the presence of the girl he had a crush on.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To adapt (a word of another part of speech) as a verb.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: grammar, human-sciences, linguistics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

convert into a verb

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • many English nouns have become verbalized

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: verbalise

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: convert

4

verb

Meaning 4

articulate; either verbally or with a cry, shout, or noise

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • She expressed her anger
  • He uttered a curse

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: express, verbalise, utter, give tongue to

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: curse, cuss, blaspheme, swear, imprecate, wish, exclaim, cry, cry out, outcry, call out, shout, clamor, clamour, vociferate, shout out, marvel, voice, raise, breathe, drop, pour out, get off, platitudinize, say, represent, state, tell, pooh-pooh, hurl, throw

5

verb

Meaning 5

express in speech

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • She talks a lot of nonsense
  • This depressed patient does not verbalize

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: talk, speak, utter, mouth, verbalise

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: communicate, intercommunicate

Narrower terms: read, vocalize, vocalise, phonate, troll, begin, lip off, shoot one's mouth off, shout, whisper, peep, speak up, snap, snarl, enthuse, speak in tongues, swallow, verbalize, verbalise, whiff, talk of, talk about, blubber, blubber out, drone, drone on, bumble, stutter, stammer, falter, rasp, blurt out, blurt, blunder out, blunder, ejaculate, tone, inflect, modulate, deliver, present, generalize, generalise, chatter, piffle, palaver, prate, tittle-tattle, twaddle, clack, maunder, prattle, blab, gibber, tattle, blabber, gabble, yack, jaw, yack away, rattle on, yap away, open up, snivel, whine, murmur, mumble, mutter, mussitate, slur, bark, bay, rant, mouth off, jabber, spout, rabbit on, rave, hiss, sizz, siss, sibilate, cackle, babble, chant, intone, gulp, sing

6

verb

Meaning 6

be verbose

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • This lawyer verbalizes and is rather tedious

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: verbalise

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: talk, speak, utter, mouth, verbalize, verbalise

History

Etymology

Partly from Middle French verbaliser and partly from verbal + -ize.

Across languages

Translations

33 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: изразявам с думи (izrazjavam s dumi) — to express
  • Catalan: verbalitzar — to express
  • Finnish: ilmaista — to express
  • Finnish: ilmaista sanoin — to express
  • Finnish: verbaalistaa — to express
  • Galician: verbalizar — to express
  • German: verbalisieren — to express
  • German: versprachlichen — to express
  • Greek: αποδίδω φραστικά (apodído frastiká) — to express
  • Hungarian: szavakba önt — to express
  • Hungarian: kifejez — to express
  • Irish: cuir i bhfocail — to express
  • Italian: verbalizzare — to express
  • Polish: werbalizować — to express
  • Polish: zwerbalizować — to express
  • Portuguese: verbalizar — to express
  • Serbo-Croatian: izraziti riječima — to express
  • Serbo-Croatian: orječiti — to express
  • Spanish: verbalizar — to express
  • Swedish: verbalisera — to express
  • Swedish: sätta ord på — to express
  • Catalan: verbalitzar — to adapt as a verb
  • Finnish: verbaalistaa — to adapt as a verb
  • Finnish: muuttaa verbiksi — to adapt as a verb
  • Galician: verbalizar — to adapt as a verb
  • German: verbalisieren — to adapt as a verb
  • Greek: ρηματοποιώ (rimatopoió) — to adapt as a verb
  • Polish: werbalizować — to adapt as a verb
  • Polish: zwerbalizować — to adapt as a verb
  • Portuguese: verbalizar — to adapt as a verb
  • Serbo-Croatian: oglagoliti — to adapt as a verb
  • Spanish: verbalizar — to adapt as a verb
  • Swedish: förvandla till verb — to adapt as a verb