speak of

phrasal verb

spoke of; spoken of; speaking of; speaks of
1
: to talk or write about (someone or something) : to mention (a subject) in speech or writing
Speaking of Jill, where is she?
It was the first time she spoke of going to law school.
She never speaks of her suffering during the war.
In the letter, he spoke of feeling ill.
2
: to indicate or suggest (something)
His diaries speak of a troubled mind.
3
: to talk about (someone or something) in a specified way
He spoke well/highly/favorably of both job candidates.
4
chiefly US : to show that (someone or something) does or does not deserve to be praised, admired, etc.
The continued success of the business speaks well of their judgment.
Her bad behavior speaks poorly of her upbringing.

Examples of speak of 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.
What struck me most was how Dern spoke of her mother in the present tense, with such vitality and pride. Clayton Davis, Variety, 3 Nov. 2025 After the win, Friedman stood on the field and spoke of Rojas’ significance to the club. Katie Woo, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025 And speaking of shows spent in good company, James Folta also visited some family last weekend, where he was treated to a showing of K-Pop Demon Hunters complete with live niece commentary. Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 31 Oct. 2025 Have those returns Hertzfeld speaks of led to any actual benefits on Earth? Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 31 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for speak of

Cite this Entry

“Speak of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/speak%20of. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.

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