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speaking 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of speakingnext
as in talking

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speaking

2 of 3

noun

as in communication

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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

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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 speaking
Adjective
After losing his natural speaking voice, Kilmer turned to an AI software company to digital recreate his voice. — Jake Coyle, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026 Each is distinct and immersively imagined by author Woody Brown, himself a non-speaking person. — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
Noun
The push is also getting more academically challenging this year, with more writing, more public speaking, and more advanced classes for high schoolers. — Nick Caloway, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026 Subscribers also get an AI Conversation Partner for extra speaking practice, though the core curriculum stays human-made. — Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 6 Sep. 2026
Verb
Broadly speaking, many prominent Silicon Valley companies started in a place of technological service and innovation only to have more recently shifted into the dystopia business, and public sentiment has shifted in kind. — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026 While speaking to the media, Clancy’s attorney referenced a second note that might have been sent to the judge on the same issue just before dismissal yesterday. — Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 4 Sep. 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
  • Now, from membership in the Nazi Party to the facts behind family lineage or legends, communicative memory no longer has the final word.
    — Fern Schumer Chapman, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Steering is accurate without being particularly communicative, but that's perfectly appropriate for this car.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 20 July 2026
Definition of communicative
Noun
  • Zendaya, styled by Law Roach, let the dress do the talking, but her new hair was also the star of the show.
    — Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Oh, also, a major talking point in American culture a year and a half ago was whether one of the biggest superstars in the world would be publicly branded a pedophile during the Super Bowl.
    — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of talking
Verb
  • Amodei once made waves by saying AI could replace 50% of white collar jobs, but more recently has called AI a multiplier of jobs.
    — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The stock is down almost 7% this year, with Goldman saying it's been unfairly punished.
    — Michael Bloom, CNBC, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of saying
Verb
  • Especially for him in the same interview to be lecturing my party on democracy and norms.
    — NBC news, NBC news, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Before long, at the height of France’s own student protests, in 1968, Ascherson was lecturing at the Sorbonne on post-Stalinist revolutionary ideas and tactics.
    — Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of lecturing
Adjective
  • In his interviews, Richard was charismatic, articulate, and confident.
    — Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Review, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Being articulate is still useful, but articulation alone is no longer much of an advantage.
    — Cheryl Robinson, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 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
  • The first online evacuation order came on August 5 for residents of Mansouri, near Tyre, though Israel had already dropped leaflets on the village just a week into the ceasefire, telling ‌residents to leave ahead of strikes.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Antonelli had doubted his chances of such a fightback on Thursday, telling reporters that getting back into the top five was a realistic target.
    — Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of telling
Verb
  • Andrew Perloff and Paul Pabst assess the threat level for the teams in the AFC East, discussing how much Geno Smith elevates the Jets and how the Patriots' schedule affects their ceiling.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The first episode features Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Pablo Torre, discussing the continuing fallout from the Clippers’ salary cap circumvention scandal in the NBA.
    — J.J. Bailey, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of discussing

Phrases Containing speaking

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speak (for)
speaking
speaking (about)
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Cite this Entry

“Speaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/speaking. Accessed 16 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on speaking

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about speaking

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