as in to speak up
to voice one's opinions freely with force
it's a free country, so anyone can speak out
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 speak out
Democrat calls law a ‘voucher scheme’ Idaho Democratic leaders on Friday spoke out against the tax credit program.
—
Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 23 Jan. 2026
Frustrated residents attended the committee presentation, holding up signs, speaking out from the gallery and snapping their fingers to support some council members’ comments.
—Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 22 Jan. 2026
Khalil has denied the allegations and spoken out against antisemitism, including before his arrest.
—Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2026
Universal Images Group via Getty Images Other artists have responded by speaking out.
—R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for speak out
Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 23 Jan. 2026
Frustrated residents attended the committee presentation, holding up signs, speaking out from the gallery and snapping their fingers to support some council members’ comments.
—Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 22 Jan. 2026
Khalil has denied the allegations and spoken out against antisemitism, including before his arrest.
—Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2026
Universal Images Group via Getty Images Other artists have responded by speaking out.
—R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for speak out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for speak out
Verb
-
To vocalize the belief that the lawsuit was partisan politics instead of concerned citizens speaking up, is very disheartening.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
7 Jan. 2026
-
One local artist and two community leaders spoke up for the trees Tuesday night, encouraging the commission to approve the plan.—
Susannah Bryan,
Sun Sentinel,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The crowd, rapidly swelling into the hundreds, screamed insults and obscenities at the agents, some of whom shouted back mockingly.—
Jack Brook,
Twin Cities,
25 Jan. 2026
-
While the officers secured the detainees in the van, Arturo Gonzalez, 23, shouted into a megaphone promising that this would not be the last time protestors take such actions.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Fans lined up at meet-and-greets, holding her, crying, sharing their own experiences of assault and survival.—
Danielle Bacher,
PEOPLE,
30 Jan. 2026
-
His attorney also submitted a video of Banfield learning of his wife's death, crying at times into his bloodied hands while a doctor patted his back.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In what's become an annual rite in Rhode Island, consumers are once again sounding off about the state's high winter utility costs.—
Alex Kuffner,
The Providence Journal,
16 Jan. 2026
-
Both intruders allegedly fled when the man was able to activate the home’s panic system, which sounded off an audible alarm, police said.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Taneja also talked up the investment in xAI, noting that Grok, the chatbot made by xAI, was already in use across Tesla’s fleet.—
Jessica Mathews,
Fortune,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Last quarter, Tesla shares slumped after Musk talked up the company’s Optimus and Robotaxi efforts but failed to confront questions about the fundamentals of the auto segment.—
Samantha Subin,
CNBC,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Agents detained one observer as others blew whistles, yelled at them, and recorded video on their phones.—
Yahya Abou-Ghazala,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Ellis then claimed that Cardi cut her face with a fingernail and spat on her while yelling profanity and racial slurs at Ellis.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
So, say some small-time businessmen hire a truck through a dispatcher, the truck drives up to a field, and there, along the perimeter, a forklift crane pulls the pipe up from the sand.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Jan. 2026
-
The peek behind the scenes, the opportunity to introduce terminology like swing, Captain Wagner’s moment to pipe up about the distinction between a soundtrack and a cast recording — who says TV isn’t educational?—
Sophie Brookover,
Vulture,
19 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Speak out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/speak%20out. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
