read lips
idiom
: to understand what people are saying by watching the movement of their lips
deaf people who know how to read lips
I couldn't hear him, but I read his lips.
Examples of read lips in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, sign language was banned in many Deaf schools, and children were required to attempt to speak and read lips.
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Claire Rafford, IndyStar, 9 Feb. 2026
On our balcony, in chestnut branches, my father is teaching me how to read lips.
—Ilya Kaminsky
august 20, Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2025
The Diary Room was extra tricky because unlike with his interactions with the other contestants, Matt could not simply read lips since producers are heard but not seen.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 16 Aug. 2023
The couple speaks mostly via text, as Sheila is still learning ASL — and David can’t read lips or speak.
—Kelly Wynne, Peoplemag, 2 June 2023
See All Example Sentences for read lips
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Claire Rafford, IndyStar, 9 Feb. 2026
On our balcony, in chestnut branches, my father is teaching me how to read lips.
—Ilya Kaminsky
august 20, Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2025
The Diary Room was extra tricky because unlike with his interactions with the other contestants, Matt could not simply read lips since producers are heard but not seen.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 16 Aug. 2023
The couple speaks mostly via text, as Sheila is still learning ASL — and David can’t read lips or speak.
—Kelly Wynne, Peoplemag, 2 June 2023
See All Example Sentences for read lips
Cite this Entry
“Read lips.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/read%20lips. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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