speak up

verb

spoke up; spoken up; speaking up; speaks up

intransitive verb

1

: to speak loudly and distinctly

2

: to express an opinion freely

… speak up for truth and justice …

—Clive Bell

Synonyms of speak up

• speak out
• shout
• cry
• talk up
• yell
• pipe up
• spout (off)
• sound off

Examples of speak up in a Sentence

she's never been afraid to speak up at town meetings

Recent Examples on the Web

Research on frontline employees' voice in healthcare shows that speaking up is not enough; ideas need processes that carry them toward implementation. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026

McCurdy had not disclosed any ties to the industry on papers he’s published until Brandt, the Virginia pharmacist, spoke up in 2025. — Anjeanette Damon, ProPublica, 1 Sep. 2026

He’s even spoken up in support of the author, who has been involved in an ongoing controversy over her comments on transgender issues. — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2026

Part of it is that more women are speaking up about hair loss, shrugging off the stigma and reaching out for help. — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 25 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1681, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for speak up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup

Kids Definition

speak up

verb

: speak out