SPEAKING UP Synonyms: 53 Similar and Opposite Words

speaking up 1 of 2

adjective

as in speaking out

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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

Child Mind Institute guidance on communicating with teenagers emphasizes listening, validating feelings and creating space where kids feel safe speaking up. — Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Oct. 2026 Power dynamics, hierarchy and fear can all prevent people from speaking up, especially within male groups. — Katie Hurley, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026 For patients, speaking up about changes in the skin can be important both during treatment and before a cancer diagnosis. — ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026 Letter writer was terrified by friend’s constant phone use in the car — but only got mocked for speaking up. — Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2026 But not speaking up can still be risky in an era of widespread worry about climate change, AI, war, and so on. — Phil Wahba, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026 But together with his mother, Alison, the 22-year-old has found a calling in speaking up for people with disabilities in Tallahassee. — Justin Garcia, Miami Herald, 28 Sep. 2026 And there are so many more that have stayed silent because people out there have told them not to speak up, who have scared them into not speaking up. — Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2026 Nearly three years after she was fired from the Scream franchise for speaking up in support of Palestinians, Melissa Barrera sees the tides changing. — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for speaking up

Adjective

During a June 11 meeting where the commission reluctantly agreed to put the question on the ballot after a judge ordered them to do so, Gabela was one of the most vocal opponents of the deal, the terms of which date back to 2016 and 2017.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2026
As the song unfolds, the drums, lead vocal, background vocals, chord movement and production all play a role in carrying and reshaping it, allowing the sections to feel distinctly different while still remaining tightly connected.

— David Penn, Billboard, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of vocal

Verb

After most of the sellout crowd filed out Wednesday, one solitary Sox fan stood at his seat under the press box, shouting obscenities about the Guardians and the city of Cleveland.

— Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 9 Oct. 2026
News of their separation had been made public earlier this year when LaBeouf was arrested in New Orleans for two charges of simple battery where he was eventually given probation despite allegedly also harassing locals and shouting homophobic slurs.

— Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of shouting

Verb

When a small raptor center in Southern California began caring for the most famous bald eagle on Earth, the keyboard veterinarians started piping up.

— Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026
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

Definition of piping up

Verb

Elaine Hendrix is sounding off about Tuesday’s shocking elimination on Dancing With the Stars season 35.

— Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Sep. 2026
Vocalization increases, with more bulls sounding off as the rut approaches; the peak is generally considered to be the last two weeks of September.

— Jim Zumbo, Outdoor Life, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of sounding off

Verb

Moirologists, as they’re now known, were usually women, and their job was to display grief by crying, wailing, and tearing their hair.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Oct. 2026
Families waiting for the aircraft carrier’s arrival in San Diego Bay described crying and losing sleep after hearing about the ship’s food shortages and tough conditions.

— Julie Watson, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of crying

Verb

You were expected, at the very least, to put up a good fight, and the dance could get real ugly real quick—I’ve witnessed aunties and uncles pounding their fists on the table in a yelling war and checks being ripped straight down the middle.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
This entire ordeal can be traced back to the infamous BCS formula, which captivated audiences with computer rankings that led to fans essentially yelling at computers at seasons end.

— Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026