speaking 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of speakingnext
as in talking

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

speaking

2 of 3

noun

as in communication

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

speaking

3 of 3

verb

present participle of speak
1
as in saying
to express (a thought or emotion) in words finally spoke her fears

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lecturing
to give a formal often extended talk on a subject the Mayanists have been invited to speak about their latest archaeological discoveries

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 speaking
Adjective
The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to take inventory of your home and see what's still working and what could use an update—both practically speaking, and in terms of aesthetics. — Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Dec. 2025 This will be a recurring non-speaking role that pays $195 for 12 hours of work. — Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Dec. 2025
Noun
The iconic Disney film also starred Scott Weinger as the voice of Aladdin and Williams, who died in 2014 at the age of 63, as the speaking and singing voice of Genie. — Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 1 July 2026 To help close the gap in medical care, Greenwald is trying to publicize her ideas, through her book and public speaking. — Melanie Thernstrom, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
Verb
Judges mingled with customers at a coffee shop before speaking at the domed, ornate Westmoreland County Courthouse. — ABC News, 10 July 2026 The court loss happened in May 2025, and at the time, Harry said his father was no longer speaking to him because of the legal dispute. — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 10 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for speaking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for speaking
  1. communicative
  2. talking
  3. saying
  4. lecturing
  5. articulate
  6. uttering
  7. telling
  8. discussing
Adjective
  • But the highest-value layer will be people who combine financial fluency with the kind of strategic, communicative intelligence that helps the whole organization make better decisions.
    — Jack O'Hara, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • The great speculators became talkative and communicative or dull, sullen, silent, and peevish.
    — Owen Lamont, Fortune, 2 July 2026
Definition of communicative
Noun
  • Perhaps more than any other leading manager in the game, Tuchel is defined by his straight-talking, his honest assessments, his lack of filter.
    — Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 14 July 2026
  • In an article for Marie Claire, Rapinoe trotted out several common left-wing talking points aimed at scaring rational-thinking people into believing that keeping males out of women's sports is somehow bad for girls and women.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 July 2026
Definition of talking
Verb
  • Despite the fireworks these teams have produced in the knockout stage, the odds are saying to expect a tight, low-scoring semifinal.
    — Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 12 July 2026
  • Crump, the family’s attorney, cast doubt on the notion that Wells may have drowned – saying the teen was a strong athlete and knew how to swim.
    — Holly Yan, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
Definition of saying
Verb
  • He was internationally known as an expert on the work of William Faulkner, teaching and lecturing around the world on the Nobel Prize winner.
    — Rebecca McCarthy, AJC.com, 13 July 2026
  • The film begins with a montage of young Roma women, each shot as though for a studio portrait, impassively absorbing an offscreen voice lecturing them about family planning.
    — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 11 July 2026
Definition of lecturing
Adjective
  • The film can’t even quite articulate why Krypto is so important to Supergirl.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 26 June 2026
  • Park, hitherto a fount of articulate thoughts, is suddenly coy.
    — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
Definition of articulate
Verb
  • The other was a tearing beauty, a creature so lovely that one look at her sent young men’s blood pressure skyward and set them to uttering wild, hoarse cries and tearing telephone directories apart with the bare hands.
    — John Madson, Outdoor Life, 1 July 2026
  • All season, Shamea and Porsha have circled each other, barely uttering a direct word, but the tensions seep to the rest of the group, trickling into every interaction.
    — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 29 June 2026
Definition of uttering
Verb
  • Curator Nadine Hounkpatin, who organized the wider exhibition at Arles in which Phan’s images appear, has said that the body of work illustrates the kind of deeper truth-telling photography can do.
    — Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
  • Anna Maria says the Church had put him up for adoption without telling her.
    — Bill Whitaker, CBS News, 12 July 2026
Definition of telling
Verb
  • The new rule will still allow courses discussing DEI and CRT to be taught, but they can’t be required for graduation.
    — Cuyler Dunn, Kansas City Star, 16 July 2026
  • Bhasin helped write the Endocrine Society’s current guidelines for testosterone, which recommend discussing testosterone with men who have documented symptoms and two blood test results confirming low hormone levels.
    — Matthew Perrone, Fortune, 16 July 2026
Definition of discussing

Phrases Containing speaking

Browse Nearby Words

speak (for)
speaking
speaking (about)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Speaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/speaking. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on speaking

Nglish: Translation of speaking for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about speaking

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All