public speaking

noun

1
: the act or process of making speeches in public
2
: the art of effective oral communication with an audience

Examples of public speaking in a Sentence

He has a fear of public speaking. She has a gift for public speaking. a book on public speaking
Recent Examples on the Web During public speaking portion of the rally, protesters implored BPS to do more to help Black and brown students and educators succeed in the district. James Vaznis, BostonGlobe.com, 24 Aug. 2023 How to make the most of your time in front of the council There are a few ways to best take advantage of the time in front of the council, according to communications and public speaking professors from Louisville universities. Eleanor McCrary, The Courier-Journal, 5 July 2023 That gives us the visceral feeling of him public speaking. Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 May 2023 Rosetta was unusually anxious about public speaking, so she was given elocution lessons. Anita Gates, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2023 In 2016, Pak organized public speaking events in North Texas featuring Lee Ok-Sun, a 90-year-old survivor. Hojun Choi, Dallas News, 30 May 2023 Steve has developed his approach to counseling and public speaking out of his substantial experience that spans different areas. Jon Stojan, USA TODAY, 17 Aug. 2023 Instead, Manning will be brought in to select classes in the College of Communication and Information as a featured expert with industry experience in sports reporting, public speaking, leadership and communication, and video production and performance. Chloe Peterson, The Indianapolis Star, 15 Aug. 2023 The sports legend will partner with faculty to teach lessons in sports reporting, video production and performance, leadership and communication, and public speaking. Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 15 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'public speaking.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1759, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of public speaking was in 1759

Dictionary Entries Near public speaking

Cite this Entry

“Public speaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/public%20speaking. Accessed 4 Dec. 2023.

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