<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-12-19</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000732712</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>VZ</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001195145</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SINGER EZRA D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1095 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10036-6797</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Exec. VP - Human Resources</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-12-19</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>14</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>34.15</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>28872</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>Deferred Compensation</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">In addition, 3,720 shares are held directly (reflects aggregate acquisitions and holdings as reported on Form 5 for 2002).  The following securities are also held indirectly:  4,521 in Savings Plan (reflects aggregate acquisitions and holdings as reported on Form 5 for 2002); 20,200 in PSUs (reflects holdings as reported on Form 4 for 04/11/2003); and 16,501 in PSRUs (reflects holdings as reported on Form 4 for 08/01/2003).  </footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Robert W. Erb, Attorney-in-fact for Singer, Ezra D.</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-12-22</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

