speak well/poorly for
idiom
chiefly US
: to show that (something or someone) does or does not deserve to be praised, admired, etc.
It speaks well for the company that it donates so much money to local charities.
The test results speak poorly for our school system.
Examples of speak well/poorly for in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The presence of an 89- and an 87-win team in the NLCS does not speak well for the concept that the best team will make off with a World Series championship.
—
Gabe Lacques, USA TODAY, 17 Oct. 2022
That doesn’t speak well for the care that legislators ostensibly lavished on their handiwork the first time around.
—Michael Hiltzikbusiness Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2022
The Portland Trail Blazers, for all of their issues, are still very much in a position to reach the play-in round of the NBA playoffs, which doesn’t speak well for the postseason process of the depth in the Western Conference.
—oregonlive, 9 Jan. 2022
Consumers care about sustainability, so this is a case that does not speak well for the company.
—Greg Petro, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2021
Gabe Lacques, USA TODAY, 17 Oct. 2022
That doesn’t speak well for the care that legislators ostensibly lavished on their handiwork the first time around.
—Michael Hiltzikbusiness Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2022
The Portland Trail Blazers, for all of their issues, are still very much in a position to reach the play-in round of the NBA playoffs, which doesn’t speak well for the postseason process of the depth in the Western Conference.
—oregonlive, 9 Jan. 2022
Consumers care about sustainability, so this is a case that does not speak well for the company.
—Greg Petro, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2021
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'speak well/poorly for.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near speak well/poorly for
Cite this Entry
“Speak well/poorly for.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/speak%20well%2Fpoorly%20for. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share