say

verb

\ ˈsā

, Southern also ˈse\

said\ ˈsed

, especially when subject follows səd \; saying\ ˈsā-iŋ

\; says\ ˈsez

, sometimes ˈsāz , especially when subject follows səz

Definition of say

(Entry 1 of 3)

transitive verb

1a : to express in words : state

b : to state as opinion or belief : declare

2a : utter, pronounce

b : recite, repeat say your prayers

3a : indicate, show the clock says five minutes after twelve

b : to give expression to : communicate a glance that said all that was necessary

4 : suppose, assume let's say you're right

intransitive verb

: to express oneself : speak

say uncle

: to admit defeat

that is to say

: in other words : in effect

to say nothing of

: not to mention : and notably in addition will need more time, to say nothing of money

say

noun

plural says\ ˈsāz

, Southern also ˈsez

Definition of say (Entry 2 of 3)

1 archaic : something that is said : statement

2 : an expression of opinion had my say

3 : a right or power to influence action or decision especially : the authority to make final decisions

say

adverb

Definition of say (Entry 3 of 3)

1 : about, approximately the property is worth, say, four million dollars

2 : for example : as if we compress any gas, say oxygen

Other Words from say Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about say

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Examples of say in a Sentence

Verb

“Is anybody there?” he said. “Good morning,” said the woman behind the counter. I said three words before he interrupted me again. I just stopped by to say hello. He left without saying goodbye. I wanted to say thank you for all you've done for me. She said something about going to the store after work. He said something in French. Anything you say to the police can be used as evidence against you. Don't believe a word he says.

Noun

Everybody had a say at the meeting. We won't make a decision until all members have had their say. The judge will have the final say on the divorce settlement. He had no say in the matter.

Adverb

a person consumes, say, 2000 calories a day

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The kids were taken to the Deerfield Beach district offices of the Broward Sheriff’s Office to be questioned, Kane said. — Linda Trischitta, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Four children interviewed by police after 'suspicious' fire," 28 Feb. 2018 Birst said of the Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps. — Maureen Robertson, sandiegouniontribune.com, "NJROTC: ‘Leadership through leadership’," 28 Feb. 2018 Ice coverage rebounded a bit over the weekend, Thoman said on Monday. — Alex Demarban, Anchorage Daily News, "Warm storms pummel Bering Sea, leading to ‘crazy’ ice melt-off," 28 Feb. 2018 Grossman said that the company will continue to evaluate its business strategy over the course of this year, with several changes already planned. — Natasha Bach, Fortune, "'The World Doesn’t Need Another Diet': Weight Watchers Is Moving Beyond Just Counting Points," 28 Feb. 2018 Auburn coach Mickey Dean said Snow's illness wasn't expected to linger into this week. — James Crepea, AL.com, "Auburn softball nearing full strength entering last non-conference event," 28 Feb. 2018 Ghani said a political framework for peace negotiations should be created with a ceasefire and the Taliban recognized as a legitimate political group with an official political office. — NBC News, "Afghan President Ashraf Ghani offers peace talks with Taliban ‘without condition’," 28 Feb. 2018 Waymo said the video can be viewed on desktop or mobile, but recommends VR viewers like Google cardboard for a more-immersive experience. — Carolyn Said, San Francisco Chronicle, "Waymo offers virtual reality glimpse at riding in driverless car," 28 Feb. 2018 Gaines said that anxiety continued to build over the years. — Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, "WATCH: Joanna Gaines Reveals She Was Bullied in School, and How It Shaped Her as a Parent," 27 Feb. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Check Your Head If designers like Pierpaolo Piccioli, Marine Serre, and Alessandro Michele have a say, you won’t be fully dressed without a hat this fall. — Steff Yotka, Vogue, "The 8 Best Accessory Trends of Fall 2019," 14 Mar. 2019 Do those who release free themes get any say in the matter? — Chris Welch, The Verge, "Samsung will only allow free themes to be used for 14 days starting with Android 9 Pie update," 15 Nov. 2018 This is mainly because many state politicians elected this year who get a say in redistricting — largely governors and state senators who serve four-year terms — will be in office in 2021, when the next round of redistricting begins. — Andrew Prokop, Vox, "7 key governor races that could let Democrats roll back gerrymandering," 5 Nov. 2018 The exhibition’s emphasis on the democratization of videogames gets a final say in the last section of the show, about the grass-roots arcade scene among young people. — J.s. Marcus, WSJ, "In London, Videogames Ascend into the Art World," 3 Aug. 2018 Gone, in other words, is the traditional arrangement where shareholders who put their money on the line get a proportional say in how companies operate. — Evan Horowitz, BostonGlobe.com, "Public, private, now public again. Dell’s dance with investors makes sense," 2 July 2018 But then there are other relationships that have to do with a power struggle, who’s more important or who gets the last say. — Olivia B. Waxman, Time, "‘It Was Like I Was Trying to Fade Away’: Barbra Streisand on Hollywood Before #MeToo and How Things Have Changed," 12 June 2018 From the communication between the spotters in the booth and the sidelines to whether coaches get a say in determining if a player can return to the game or not, all of it was up for discussion. — Nancy Armour, USA TODAY, "10 takeaways from behind-the-scenes tour of NFL's game-day medical procedures," 31 Jan. 2018 In addition, AT&T Communications will have no say in setting Turner's prices or other terms in contracts with companies that distribute its content. — Marcy Gordon, chicagotribune.com, "Justice Department appealing judge's OK of AT&T-Time Warner merger," 12 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'say.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.