say

verb
\ ˈsā How to pronounce say (audio) , Southern also ˈse \
said\ ˈsed How to pronounce said (audio) , especially when subject follows  səd \; saying\ ˈsā-​iŋ How to pronounce saying (audio) \; says\ ˈsez How to pronounce says (audio) , sometimes  ˈsāz , especially when subject follows  səz How to pronounce says (audio) \

Definition of say

 (Entry 1 of 3)

transitive verb

1a : to express in words : state
b : to state as opinion or belief : declare
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 How to pronounce says (audio) , Southern also  ˈsez How to pronounce says (audio) \

Definition of say (Entry 2 of 3)

1 : an expression of opinion had my say
2 : a right or power to influence action or decision especially : the authority to make final decisions
3 archaic : something that is said : statement

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

Keep scrolling for more

Other Words from say

Verb

sayer \ ˈsā-​ər How to pronounce sayer (audio) , ˈser \ noun

Synonyms & Antonyms for say

Synonyms: Verb

Synonyms: Noun

Synonyms: Adverb

Antonyms: Adverb

Visit the Thesaurus for More 

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
See More
Recent Examples on the Web: Verb The county now directs most teen offenders to at-home and community-based programs, which county officials say lead to better results. Shannon Prather, Star Tribune, "Ramsey County sending fewer people to prison," 28 Nov. 2020 One person was killed and four others were injured in Nevada, where police say an unhinged couple went on a random drive-by shooting spree throughout the city early Thanksgiving Day, authorities said. Stephanie Pagones, Fox News, "Nevada random shooting spree leaves 1 dead, 4 hurt; suspects arrested in Arizona, police say," 28 Nov. 2020 Hours after it is announced that Ohio State football coach Ryan Day tested positive, officials say the Buckeyes’ game at Illinois on Saturday has been canceled. Marc Bona, cleveland, "Football-rivalry game canceled, Browns players out, ex-NFL player dies, vaccine trials under way - coronavirus timeline Nov. 21-27," 28 Nov. 2020 Jasmine isn't afraid to protest alone and doesn't care about what people say. Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, "Detroit rocker's photos of people wearing masks tell COVID-19 story of love and endurance," 28 Nov. 2020 Norway is considered one of the most LGBTQ-friendly countries in Europe, but advocacy groups say reported homophobic crimes have risen. Lindsey Mcginnis, The Christian Science Monitor, "Points of Progress: Norway updates hate speech laws, and more," 27 Nov. 2020 Other TikTok users frequently say her videos have inspired them to consider pursuing a career in psychology. Dominic Rech, CNN, "This therapist fights online toxicity, one TikTok video at a time," 27 Nov. 2020 The research showed that 70% of parents in the UK say they feel judged by others, with parents also reporting a big increase (from 38% to 63%) in loneliness throughout the pandemic. Victoria Murphy, Town & Country, "Kate Middleton Says Her Interest in the Early Years Is Not Only Because She Is a Mom," 27 Nov. 2020 The school confirmed there have been additional positive cases within the football program this week, but did not identify the other individuals or say how many of them tested positive. Joey Kaufman, USA TODAY, "Ohio State coach Ryan Day tests positive for COVID-19 and will miss Illinois game," 27 Nov. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Beijing insists on having the final say on all bishop appointments in mainland China, while the Holy See maintains that only the Pope has such authority. James Griffiths, CNN, "China mulls new rules on foreigners' to 'prohibit religious extremism'," 25 Nov. 2020 Beijing agreed to formally recognize the pope’s authority within the church and gave him the final say on bishops, while the Vatican agreed to recognize the legitimacy of bishops previously appointed by the Chinese government. Gaia Pianigiani, New York Times, "Pope Calls Uighurs ‘Persecuted,’ Prompting Pushback From China," 24 Nov. 2020 But the annexation decision will be left to Hampstead residents that will have the final say on whether the annexation goes through during a public hearing on Dec. 8. Penelope Blackwell, baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll, "Hampstead fire company moves closer to getting land for temporary station after commissioner vote," 24 Nov. 2020 That often meant judges – not lawmakers – had the final say on the policies. John Fritze, USA TODAY, "'You’ve got to have trust.' The strategy Joe Biden hopes will lead to agreement in a post-Trump era," 20 Nov. 2020 But the common council will have the final say on the starting salary. Erik S. Hanley, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Cudahy will hire a city administrator in 2022 and make the mayor a part-time position after a referendum passes," 3 Nov. 2020 This could mean that the government, not the individual, ends up with the final say on medical decisions. Brad Polumbo, National Review, "Kamala Harris’s Economic Philosophy Is No Laughing Matter," 2 Nov. 2020 All members get a say in the company’s governance, though in practice only a few hundred of its roughly 1,000 members are active in the company’s forums, where issues are discussed and voted on. Juliet B. Schor, The Conversation, "Gig worker employment fights like those in California pit flexibility against a livable wage – but ‘platform cooperatives’ could ensure workers get both," 29 Oct. 2020 Griffin will have the final say on personnel decisions. Christian Clark | Staff Writer, NOLA.com, "5 things to know about Stan Van Gundy: See new Pelicans coach's take on roster, coaching style, more," 21 Oct. 2020

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.

See More

First Known Use of say

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

1571, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Adverb

circa 1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for say

Verb

Middle English, from Old English secgan; akin to Old High German sagēn to say, Lithuanian sakyti, Greek ennepein to speak, tell

Adverb

from imperative of say entry 1

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about say

Time Traveler for say

Time Traveler

The first known use of say was before the 12th century

See more words from the same century

Statistics for say

Last Updated

30 Nov 2020

Cite this Entry

“Say.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/say. Accessed 11 Dec. 2020.

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for say

say

verb
How to pronounce say (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of say

 (Entry 1 of 2)

: to use your voice to express (something) with words
: to express (an opinion)
: to express (a fact) with certainty

say

noun

English Language Learners Definition of say (Entry 2 of 2)

: an opportunity to express your opinion
: the power to decide or help decide something

say

verb
\ ˈsā How to pronounce say (audio) \
said\ ˈsed \; saying\ ˈsā-​iŋ \

Kids Definition of say

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1 : to express in words He said that she would be late. What does the card say?
2 : to state as an opinion or decision : declare I say you are wrong.
3 : repeat entry 1 sense 2, recite I said my prayers.
4 : indicate sense 2, show The clock says half past ten.
5 : to consider as a possibility or example Can you spare, say, 20 dollars?

say

noun

Kids Definition of say (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : an expression of opinion We all had a say at the meeting.
2 : the power to decide or help decide We had no say in the matter.

Keep scrolling for more

More from Merriam-Webster on say

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for say

Nglish: Translation of say for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of say for Arabic Speakers

Comments on say

What made you want to look up say? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

WORD OF THE DAY

Test Your Vocabulary

Words of the Year Quiz - 2020 Edition

  • a storm on a mediterranean coast by claude vernet
  • Which of the following words shares a root with pandemic?
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Bee Cubed

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!