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

Colleagues remembered Mayra as a dedicated educator and active member of the teachers union who spoke up to support the needs of her students and fellow staff members. —Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 24 Jan. 2026

Fear of retaliation, skepticism about human resources departments and doubts about whether complaints will be taken seriously continue to shape how, and whether, women speak up. —Maggie McGrath, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026

Balance your quick instincts with consistent effort by checking in with others involved, especially quieter individuals who may not be able to speak up for themselves yet. —Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 23 Jan. 2026

All parties will speak up to express their views. —Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 21 Jan. 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