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 justiceClive Bell

Examples of speak up in a Sentence

she's never been afraid to speak up at town meetings
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.
If people aren’t speaking up, ask what truths feel unsafe to say. Ann Kowal Smith, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025 The set sparked an uproar on social media, with many accusing the chants of being antisemitic, while others championed the band for speaking up for Palestine. Ellise Shafer, Variety, 30 June 2025 He’s spoken up about it before, trying to protect the trust he’s built with Ava. Ashley Vega, People.com, 28 June 2025 So many people now are not afraid anymore and are ready to speak up for themselves. Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 27 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for speak up

Word History

First Known Use

1681, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of speak up was in 1681

Cite this Entry

“Speak up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/speak%20up. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

speak up

verb

More from Merriam-Webster on speak up

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