SPEAKING UP Synonyms: 53 Similar and Opposite Words

speaking up 1 of 2

adjective

as in speaking out

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

speaking up

2 of 2

verb

present participle of speak up

as in spouting (off)

to voice one's opinions freely with force she's never been afraid to speak up at town meetings

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 speaking up

Verb

Rather than treating speaking up as an all-or-nothing leap, this approach breaks team communication down into three manageable levels, each one raising the stakes slightly while lowering the barrier to entry. — Esther K. Choy, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026 Yet Haitians have built lives here, often with the support of neighbors, nonprofits and churches – groups speaking up as the community prepares for the end of TPS. — Gina Perez, The Conversation, 21 July 2026 And, with Lipa speaking up, the opposition now has a powerful ally, according to The Guardian and the Daily Beast. — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 16 July 2026 Stress that their devices won’t be taken away as a result, and they won’t be punished for speaking up. — Gili Malinsky, CNBC, 2 July 2026 The affiliation between Aquarius and the Sklarian Raiders is immense because both will never stop speaking up to assert messages that upend the status quo. — Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026 Consider speaking up in a meeting and stating a clear boundary with a co-worker, using steady words that match your actions for the rest of the day. — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 11 June 2026 Instead of pushing through pain and not speaking up for fear they'll be labeled weak or a complainer, this generation is more inclined to listen to their bodies, advocate for themselves, and address the issue through the proper resources. — Sarah Scott, Parents, 10 June 2026 Rehearsals for a Revolution is a cautionary tale about speaking up in a place where rebellion can cost you your livelihood, and quite possibly your life. — Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for speaking up

Adjective

Several residents who spoke at the meetings characterized the opposition as a vocal minority of residents who have fixated on a few mostly parochial issues.

— John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 1 Aug. 2026
Thirty pounds lighter, with a prosthetic eyelid, a higher vocal octave and months of mental preparation, Hunnam became Gein.

— Beatrice Verhoeven, HollywoodReporter, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of vocal

Verb

An American woman is speaking out after being rescued from a seaplane crash that was caught on camera near the Bahamas on Saturday.

— Yi-Jin Yu, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
When it was relayed to Moore that Johnson was speaking out of turn and ruining the sanctity of what happens in the huddle, the Heisman hopeful was less than pleased.

— Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 31 July 2026

Definition of speaking out

Verb

Damola Adamolekun, the youngest CEO the chain restaurant has ever seen at 37 years old, acknowledges the company's storied history with celebrity, and has been talking up the brand since taking over.

— Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026
Since Anthropic began offering glimpses of their Mythos model earlier this year, critics have slammed the company for allegedly building hype by talking up how dangerous the model could be in the wrong hands.

— Zachary Folk, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026

Definition of talking up

Verb

Influencers like Paige Paul (née Lorenze) have been sounding off in Four Winds Craft Guild’s comments, trying to frame the argument as a feminist one.

— Bethy Squires, Vulture, 29 July 2026
His inconsistencies were glaring, sounding off alarm bells about whether Drury had made a miscalculation.

— Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 21 July 2026

Definition of sounding off

Verb

Downright rude when driving, scooters and bikes weaving in and out, people opening their windows and yelling all the time.

— Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 Aug. 2026
As Hwang and her partner placed the ticket on the car’s windshield and were returning to their vehicle, the vehicle’s owner approached, yelling expletives and ripping the citation to pieces.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026