speech

Definition of speechnext
1
as in lecture
a usually formal discourse delivered to an audience the guest of honor gave a short speech in appreciation of the award

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2
as in language
the stock of words, pronunciation, and grammar used by a people as their basic means of communication wanting to develop a writing system for his people, Sequoya created a system of 86 symbols representing all the syllables of Cherokee speech

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of speech Professors, as government employees, enjoy an elevated level of protection for speech outside work. Cate Charron, IndyStar, 18 Feb. 2026 Kochi reports some Democrats are planning to skip the event, while others are planning to walk out midway through the speech and bring guests to underscore their arguments about the impacts of his policies. Jared Gans, The Hill, 18 Feb. 2026 Related Stories Taking the podium, Elstner, who was visibly moved, delivered a deeply personal speech reflecting on a 30-year journey between Germany and France. Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 18 Feb. 2026 Trump later lashed out in response to Carney’s speech. Tiago Ventura, Time, 13 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for speech
Recent Examples of Synonyms for speech
Noun
  • Saturday afternoon inside the Intuit Dome often felt more like a lecture that needed to end.
    Jason Jones, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2026
  • However, naming the Holocaust as a genocide in 2026, the organizers of the lecture about our book feared, would evoke contemporary associations—above all, with the genocide in Gaza.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Brittany is joined by Emily Kwong, co-host of NPR’s science podcast Short Wave, to explore why putting your brain through learning a new language offers surprising benefits and opportunities for connection.
    Brittany Luse, NPR, 16 Feb. 2026
  • Neither Wicks, nor any other legislator, has released legislative language yet aimed at supporting the industry.
    CalMatters, Mercury News, 16 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Both countries will be having their second round of talks on Tuesday in Geneva, Tehran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi told the BBC, adding that the Iran is ready to discuss restricting its nuclear program for lighter sanctions and economic benefits for both sides.
    Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 16 Feb. 2026
  • The Swiss Foreign Ministry told the Associated Press that the nuclear talks will again be mediated by Oman.
    Zach LaChance, The Washington Examiner, 15 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Nate’s style, vocabulary and delivery are like no one else who has ever lived.
    Mac Engel February 13, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Francesca’s pinnacle Once a Regency world has implied there’s mass print culture capable of speedy and pervasive distribution of colored images, something as persnickety as vocabulary is probably beside the point.
    Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 11 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Cesarina Calderon, no address listed.
    Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 17 Feb. 2026
  • About 1 in 5 participants lived in rural areas, as determined by a federal classification system that used the women’s home address.
    Alex Crisp, The Conversation, 17 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The sneaker’s tongue and shoelaces appear to have been given a vintage-esque off-white treatment, and the black toe features a new ripstop material, but the style otherwise maintains the original details of the 1995 Neon colorway.
    Riley Jones, Footwear News, 14 Feb. 2026
  • Dylan stuck out his tongue in gleeful celebration of only his second basket in the semifinal, and their famous father laughed heartily at courtside.
    Dallas Morning News, Dallas Morning News, 14 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Before his assassination at age 39 on April 4, 1968, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate spent a decade giving fearless orations and profound insights that continue to inspire generations, all deserving attention and consideration.
    Lydia Price, PEOPLE, 19 Jan. 2026
  • Though Garfield is attending the RNC reluctantly to give a speech in support of his friend, Congressman James Blaine (Bradley Whitford), for the presidency, his rousing oration inadvertently earns him the nomination.
    Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 6 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Steven Gebelin, who represented Puig in 2021 and 2022, testified at trial that his then-client tried to be helpful during the interview but, because the interpreter’s Spanish dialect differed from Puig’s, his answers were translated poorly.
    Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Puig’s former attorney Steven Gebelin testified that during the January 2022 interview, Puig tried to be helpful in answering the investigators’ questions and the interpreter struggled with Puig’s Spanish dialect, according to the New York Times.
    Jaimie Ding, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Speech.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/speech. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.

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