1
as in says
to express (a thought or emotion) in words
finally spoke her fears
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in talks
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 speaks
Levin regularly speaks directly to the camera in TMZ’s video segments, breaking down the developments of entertainment-adjacent headlines.
—
Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 21 Feb. 2026
The song itself speaks to universal feelingd about loss, regret, and learning to live in the moment, while the Puerto Rican folk genre plena gives it the perfect melancholy melody.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 21 Feb. 2026
The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll speaks with surprising candor about his disappointment in his film career, underscored with a peculiar clip of Elvis being hounded by a dude in a cheesy dog costume.
—Kim Willis, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
That figure speaks to a long period of independent evolution from its nearest relatives.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 20 Feb. 2026
Read the story » More Top Stories David Remnick speaks with Conan O’Brien about prepping for the Oscars, the diminishing relevance of late-night TV, and the loss of his close friends Rob and Michele Reiner.
—Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 20 Feb. 2026
This ballad, which speaks about how love endures despite physical separation, is an intense and honest effort by Fernández to carve his own path.
—Natalia Cano, Billboard, 20 Feb. 2026
The 22 out hockey players at these Games are, as aforementioned, all women – a detail which speaks to the striking contrast between LGBTQ+ visibility in women’s hockey compared to men’s.
—Hannah Ryan, CNN Money, 14 Feb. 2026
Romanelli said this armed robbery of a random man speaks to bigger issues.
—Jermont Terry, CBS News, 14 Feb. 2026
Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 21 Feb. 2026
The song itself speaks to universal feelingd about loss, regret, and learning to live in the moment, while the Puerto Rican folk genre plena gives it the perfect melancholy melody.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 21 Feb. 2026
The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll speaks with surprising candor about his disappointment in his film career, underscored with a peculiar clip of Elvis being hounded by a dude in a cheesy dog costume.
—Kim Willis, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
That figure speaks to a long period of independent evolution from its nearest relatives.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 20 Feb. 2026
Read the story » More Top Stories David Remnick speaks with Conan O’Brien about prepping for the Oscars, the diminishing relevance of late-night TV, and the loss of his close friends Rob and Michele Reiner.
—Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 20 Feb. 2026
This ballad, which speaks about how love endures despite physical separation, is an intense and honest effort by Fernández to carve his own path.
—Natalia Cano, Billboard, 20 Feb. 2026
The 22 out hockey players at these Games are, as aforementioned, all women – a detail which speaks to the striking contrast between LGBTQ+ visibility in women’s hockey compared to men’s.
—Hannah Ryan, CNN Money, 14 Feb. 2026
Romanelli said this armed robbery of a random man speaks to bigger issues.
—Jermont Terry, CBS News, 14 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for speaks
Verb
-
Trump says Herschel Walker is 'loyal' The crowd was filled with allies and friends of the president, including Herschel Walker, a former University of Georgia football star who ran for Congress in 2020.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Transfers have been cancelled if, as Foster says, a player’s character is judged not to be a good fit.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Jesse talks us through the tips and tricks of how to make golden, chewy bagels from the comfort of your own kitchen.—
Emily Elias,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
18 Feb. 2026
-
As is her nature, Hudson talks openly and honestly about how being a mother has intertwined with her career.—
Amy Amatangelo,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The look tells us where style might go next – a more nuanced conversation.—
Rachel Tashjian,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Earlier in the show, Chioma tells Choe how British Vogue’s Gisele Pelicot digital cover story came to be.—
Chelsea Daniel,
Vogue,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Simon Maghakyan lectures on the 20th anniversary of the destruction of Djulfa in December 2025.—
Simon Maghakyan,
Time,
30 Jan. 2026
-
In her car, Jessica Gabriel’s Lady is an avid listener of DJ Revolution, a fictional radio DJ who lectures passionately about the struggles of modern-day life in Nigeria.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The phrase also sometimes is used as a battle cry and has been employed by those with a nefarious agenda to instill fear of anyone who utters it and to raise concerns about Islam itself, according to Muslim scholars and civil rights advocates.—
Michelle Krupa,
CNN Money,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Falduto utters the words as his character Billy to Dewey, playing the opinionated student who becomes the stylist for the band.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Beyond her physical transformation, Sarah also discusses her strategy for red carpet dressing, telling the story behind her Chanel feather dress and pants at the show’s premiere.—
Chelsea Daniel,
Vogue,
20 Feb. 2026
-
This story discusses events that might be disturbing to some readers.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The band’s visual world for the record articulates much more.—
Hannah Jackson,
Vogue,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Against that backdrop, a distinct leadership pattern has emerged and Frank Vella, CEO of Constant Contact, articulates this philosophy with unusual clarity.—
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Speaks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/speaks. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
