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
Adebayo had spoken of his anticipation of facing Jovic in the Olympics, with Jovic already ruled out of the upcoming Serbia-USA exhibition in Abu Dhabi.
—
Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 13 July 2024
Americans speak of human rights, but where does the notion of human rights come from if there is no Creator?
—James O. Cunningham, Orlando Sentinel, 4 July 2024
In the wake of the Heat’s 4-1 first-round playoff ouster at the hands of the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics, Bryant spoke of potentially building on his maiden Heat season.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 3 July 2024
Justice Samuel Alito has spoken of it publicly, as did former attorney general William P. Barr.
—Philip Bump, Washington Post, 3 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for speak of 
Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 13 July 2024
Americans speak of human rights, but where does the notion of human rights come from if there is no Creator?
—James O. Cunningham, Orlando Sentinel, 4 July 2024
In the wake of the Heat’s 4-1 first-round playoff ouster at the hands of the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics, Bryant spoke of potentially building on his maiden Heat season.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 3 July 2024
Justice Samuel Alito has spoken of it publicly, as did former attorney general William P. Barr.
—Philip Bump, Washington Post, 3 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for speak of
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'speak of.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Cite this Entry
“Speak of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/speak%20of. Accessed 27 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share