vur-BAL-ee
/vɚˈbæli/
verbally is pronounced vur-BAL-ee (/vɚˈbæli/). Verbally refers to expressing something in words, especially through spoken language. It is used to describe actions performed by speaking rather than writing or gesturing, and often appears in discussions of communication methods, evidence, or instructions. In flavor, it emphasizes the spoken aspect and the manner of articulation rather than nonverbal means.
Verbally refers to expressing something in words, especially through spoken language. It is used to describe actions performed by speaking rather than writing or gesturing, and often appears in discussions of communication methods, evidence, or instructions. In flavor, it emphasizes the spoken aspect and the manner of articulation rather than nonverbal means.
- Misplacing the main stress on the second syllable, saying ver-BAL-ly or VER-buh-lee; remedy by practicing with a strong initial stress: /ˈvɜːr-/. - Over-articulating the final -ly as a long vowel; fix by shortening the /i/ and reducing the vowel to a quick /li/ with light touch of the tongue against the alveolar ridge. - Rushing the /rb/ cluster; practice by isolating the /rb/ with a slow, precise articulation, then blend into the final /li/. - Ignoring rhoticity in US: ensure a (/r/) sound in the first syllable if you’re aiming for US pronunciation; if you’re British, keep the non-rhotic approach but still clear the /r/ in the cluster before the vowel.
"During the meeting, she voiced her concerns verbally before sending a written summary."
"The attorney argued the facts verbally, not just in the press release."
"He was instructed to respond verbally to each question during the interview."
Pronounce as /ˈvɜːrbli/ in US and AU transcriptions, /ˈvɜːbəli/ in UK. The first syllable carries primary stress. The /ɜː/ vowel is a mid-central open-mid vowel, the /rb/ cluster forms after the vowel, and the final /li/ is a light, unstressed syllable where the l merges with a quick i. Tip: keep the /l/ light, and avoid adding an extra syllable after the /li/.
Common errors include misplacing stress (putting stress on -li as in 'ver-BAH-lee'), pronouncing the first syllable with a short /ɪ/ like 'ver-bili,' and over-articulating the 'r' in non-rhotic varieties. Correction: ensure primary stress on the first syllable /ˈvɜːr/; keep /ɜː/ consistent; reduce the final -ly to a quick /li/ with minimal vowel expansion. Practicing with minimal pairs like 'verbal' vs 'verbally' helps solidify the final syllable timing.
US and AU typically show a rhotic /r/ in the first syllable: /ˈvɜːrbli/. UK often has non-rhotic tendencies in careful speech: /ˈvɜːbəli/, with a lighter /r/ and slightly different vowel quality in /ɜː/. The final -ly remains a light, unstressed syllable in all. In rapid speech, vowels may reduce, producing /ˈvɜːbli/ or /ˈvɜːbli/. The key variation is the rhoticity and vowel length of the first vowel.
Two main challenges: sustaining the initial stressed /ˈvɜːr/ with correct rhoticisation, and smoothly linking the /rb/ cluster to the unstressed /li/. The mouth must transition quickly from a rounded, tense open-mid vowel to a light /r/ plus a consonant cluster, then into the soft, quick /li/. Avoid inflating the final vowel or inserting extra syllables. Practice with slow articulation, then speed to natural pace.
There are no silent letters in verbally; each letter normally has a sound in standard pronunciation. The first syllable bears primary stress, the second syllable carries a reduced vowel /ə/ or /ə/ depending on accent, and the final /ly/ retains a light /li/ sound. In rapid speech the /l/ and /i/ may blend into a quick syllabic sequence rather than a fully pronounced /li/.
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- US: clear rhotic /r/ in the first syllable; /ˈvɜːr.bli/ with a distinct r, keep /ɜː/ steady, avoid intrusive vowels. - UK: often non-rhotic; /ˈvɜː.bə.li/ with a lighter /r/ or none, and the middle vowel may be more centralized /ə/. - AU: similar to US but with slightly broader vowel quality; keep /ɜː/ robust, final /li/ light. Use IPA references to guide mouth positions: /ˈvɜːr/ rounded jaw, /bli/ tip of tongue to alveolar ridge for /b/ then /l/ and /i/.
Verbally comes from the Latin verbāre meaning to speak, from which the old French verbal derived. The English form verbally combines verbal, from Latin verbum ‘word,’ with the adverbial suffix -ly, yielding a sense of “in a spoken manner.” The word’s semantic arc tracks a shift from generic ‘speech’ to a more precise emphasis on spoken articulation as distinct from other communication modalities. In Early Modern English, verbal usage appeared in treatises on rhetoric and law, distinguishing spoken testimony from written records. By the 19th and 20th centuries, verbally solidified its role in everyday discourse to specify “through spoken words” as opposed to written or signed expression. Its modern sense is stable in academic, legal, and everyday contexts where spoken communication is contrasted with written, electronic, or nonverbal channels. The term often appears in collocations like “express orally,” “disclose verbally,” or “testimony verbally.”
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "verbally" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "verbally"
-ely sounds
-rly sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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