say for

phrase

—used with words such as something, little, a lot, etc., to show that someone or something does or does not deserve to be praised, admired, etc.
It says a lot for her that she stayed in the game even though she was injured.
The students' low test scores don't say much for the education they're receiving.

Examples of say for in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
More fascinating, though, is what Brooks has to say for himself. — Judy Berman, Time, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for say for

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Say for.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/say%20for. Accessed 24 Sep. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster