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

All 21 people who spoke up were opposed to the development or had questions, according to minutes from the session. —Jordan Novet, CNBC, 25 Nov. 2025

Elsewhere, contestants and pros alike have spoken up about online bullying that comes along with being on a competition show. —Emily Longeretta, Variety, 25 Nov. 2025

When budgets tighten, programs that promote psychological safety—the freedom to speak up without fear of retribution—are often cut. —Harvard Business Review, 24 Nov. 2025

On Monday, Jeff Sanceri, president of the Peralta Board Federation of Teachers, spoke up at the board’s meeting about a need for improved safety at Peralta. —Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 24 Nov. 2025

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