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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in speaking out
Related Words
Dissimilar 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 up
Susan Tompor, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2025
But there’s a moment when a journalist asks him about entertainers speaking up about the war.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
As a mom of two, Morgan is speaking up for the first time since retiring from soccer as a mom and showing that true success isn’t about keeping score.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
For administrators, that means creating a work environment where everyone feels comfortable speaking up and confident that they will be given a fair hearing.
—Nona Han, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Aug. 2025
Many employees hold back frustrations because speaking up feels risky.
—Julia Korn, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Near the end of the process, the Republicans on commissioners court began speaking up about their belief that the county should continue being run by a red-majority and that the redistricting would ensure that.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Aug. 2025
This campaign builds community through honesty, celebrates real symptoms, and reminds women that speaking up is a powerful form of self-care.
—Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 5 Aug. 2025
Every tip, every act of speaking up, is a testament to a student's commitment to their community.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
And thankfully, regulators are speaking up, as well.
—Susan Tompor, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2025
But there’s a moment when a journalist asks him about entertainers speaking up about the war.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
As a mom of two, Morgan is speaking up for the first time since retiring from soccer as a mom and showing that true success isn’t about keeping score.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
For administrators, that means creating a work environment where everyone feels comfortable speaking up and confident that they will be given a fair hearing.
—Nona Han, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Aug. 2025
Many employees hold back frustrations because speaking up feels risky.
—Julia Korn, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Near the end of the process, the Republicans on commissioners court began speaking up about their belief that the county should continue being run by a red-majority and that the redistricting would ensure that.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Aug. 2025
This campaign builds community through honesty, celebrates real symptoms, and reminds women that speaking up is a powerful form of self-care.
—Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 5 Aug. 2025
Every tip, every act of speaking up, is a testament to a student's commitment to their community.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for speaking up
Verb
-
Watch the video of Renner speaking out below.—
William Earl,
Variety,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Princess Diana’s hairstylist, Sam McKnight, is speaking out amid rumors Kate Middleton’s new blonde hair is a wig.—
Jason Pham,
StyleCaster,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The decision also underscores the risks of vocal injury for artists performing demanding live shows night after night, a reality discussed in coverage of other recent touring cancellations.—
Megan Cartwright,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Vergara was just as enamored of her vocal Tuesday.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
EW.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Audi is talking up the vertical frame where the grille usually sits, as a key design element.—
Abhimanyu Ghoshal,
New Atlas,
3 Sep. 2025
-
In the New York Times, Schmidt—yes that same guy who was talking up AGI in April—urged Silicon Valley to stop fixating on superhuman AI, warning that the obsession distracts from building useful technology.—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
25 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Kuching, the capital of Sarawak on the island of Borneo, isn't shouting about its commitment to sustainability.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Then, Suarez moved to another part of the field, where he is seen shouting, stepping on the foot of Sounders head of security Gene Ramirez and spitting on him.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Younger Republican voters and GOP contrarians are piping up to challenge the broad consensus in the Republican Party that has been in lockstep with policy on Israel.—
Kristina Karisch,
The Hill,
19 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
For the writers pictured here, engaging with culture isn’t a hobby or a sideline or a way of sounding off.—
Richard Renaldi,
New Yorker,
25 Aug. 2025
-
Local police chiefs are sounding off after viral footage of a brutal Cincinnati assault shined new light on what local leaders are saying is a consistent failure regarding violent offenders being released onto the city’s streets.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The 8-year-old ia unable to sleep without crying throughout the night and uncontrollably in his sleep, his mother wrote.—
Shambhavi Rimal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Sep. 2025
-
This wakes my kids who start crying.—
Esther K. Choy,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
As the Astros celebrated, and as music blared and fireworks went off, Chisholm got close to Walsh, yelling and gesturing with his hands.—
Brendan Kuty,
New York Times,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Ellis then claimed that Cardi cut her face with a fingernail and spat on her while yelling profanity and racial slurs at Ellis.—
Charna Flam,
People.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Speaking up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/speaking%20up. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share