non-verbal

non-verbal — adjective

1. relating to communication that does not use spoken or written words, often relyi

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

relating to communication that does not use spoken or written words, often relying on gestures, facial expressions, body language, or other visual signs instead.

Example

Rafael's non-verbal signals—like nodding and eye contact—showed he was paying close attention.

collocation: non-verbal signals / cues

The teacher raised a hand as a non-verbal cue to quiet the class.

collocation: non-verbal cue

Common collocations
  • non-verbal communication
  • non-verbal cue
  • non-verbal signal
  • non-verbal behaviour
  • non-verbal expression
  • non-verbal message
Synonyms
  • wordless

    more literary; often implies emotional or poetic silence

  • gestural

    more specific; refers only to communication through gestures

  • silent

    broader; can mean no sound at all rather than specifically no words

Antonyms
  • verbal

    involving words, either spoken or written

  • spoken

    specifically involving speech

Grammar Patterns

non-verbal + noun (communication, cue, signal)

Usage Note

Frequently used before nouns such as 'communication', 'cues', 'signals', and 'behaviour'. Distinguish from sense 2 — this sense describes the method or style of communication, not a person's ability to speak.

Common Mistakes

She sent me a non-verbal text message.
She sent me a non-verbal signal with a quick nod.
A text message uses words, so it is verbal; non-verbal means without any words at all.
The room was completely non-verbal.
The room was completely silent.
'Non-verbal' describes a type of communication, not a lack of sound.

2. describes a person who is unable to speak, either temporarily due to illness or

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes a person who is unable to speak, either temporarily due to illness or injury, or permanently as part of a medical condition.

Example

Baraka's younger brother is non-verbal and uses pictures on a tablet to communicate.

collocation: non-verbal + [person]

After the stroke, Walid was temporarily non-verbal and wrote everything on a small board.

temporary condition: after stroke / accident

Common collocations
  • non-verbal child
  • non-verbal patient
  • non-verbal student
  • temporarily non-verbal
  • born non-verbal
  • remain non-verbal
Synonyms
  • speechless

    temporary and often emotional, not a permanent condition

  • unable to speak

    more clinical and descriptive, less common as a single term

  • mute

    an older term that may sound outdated or offensive in some contexts

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

non-verbal + noun (child, patient, person)

Usage Note

Used primarily to describe people who have a speech impairment or have temporarily lost the ability to speak. In medical and educational contexts, it is a neutral, respectful term. Distinguish from sense 1 — this sense refers to a person's condition, not the method of communication.

Common Mistakes

The non-verbal dog wagged its tail.
The non-verbal child used pictures to ask for a drink.
'Non-verbal' is used for people who cannot speak; for animals, use 'mute' or 'silent' instead.
He stayed non-verbal during the meeting.
He stayed silent during the meeting.
A person who chooses not to speak is 'silent', not 'non-verbal'; 'non-verbal' implies an inability to speak.

Word family

  • verbal
    adjectiveB2
  • verbally
    adverbB2
  • non-verbally
    adverbC1
  • verbalise
    verbC1
  • verbalisation
    nounC2
  • verb
    nounA2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All three words describe communication without speech, but they differ in scope and connotation. 'Non-verbal' is the broadest and most neutral term, covering all forms of communication that avoid words — gestures, facial expressions, body language, pictures, and signs. 'Wordless' is more literary and often carries emotional weight, as in 'a wordless exchange of glances'; it suggests a moment when words are unnecessary rather than absent by nature. 'Silent' is broader still, referring to any absence of sound — a silent room may have no verbal or non-verbal signals at all. 'Gestural' is the narrowest, referring specifically to hand and body movements used to convey meaning. For example: 'The non-verbal communication training covered everything from eye contact to posture'; 'They shared a wordless nod of understanding across the room'; 'The room fell silent as the principal entered'; 'His gestural storytelling kept the children captivated without a single word.'

wordlesssilent ↗gestural

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • completely non-verbal
  • largely non-verbal
  • almost entirely non-verbal

Phrases

  • non-verbal communication
  • non-verbal cues
  • non-verbal signals
  • non-verbal behaviour

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Formed by adding the prefix 'non-' (meaning 'not') to the adjective 'verbal', which comes from Latin 'verbalis' (relating to words), itself from 'verbum' (word). The term first appeared in English around the early 1900s and gained widespread use from the 1950s onward, particularly in psychology and communication studies.