1
as in lecture
a usually formal discourse delivered to an audience
the guest of honor gave a short speech in appreciation of the award
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in language
the stock of words, pronunciation, and grammar used by a people as their basic means of communication
wanting to develop a writing system for his people, Sequoya created a system of 86 symbols representing all the syllables of Cherokee speech
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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show current usage.
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Recent Examples of speech
While attending CinemaCon to promote her film Don't Worry Darling, Wilde was confronted in the middle of her speech.
—
Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 17 June 2026
But even among the more-neutral group, speeches became more hawkish.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 17 June 2026
The singer has been out and about in New York the past week, going to game four of the NBA Finals, making an emotional speech at the Songwriters Hall of Fame ceremony, and apparently pulling an all-nighter at Electric Lady Studios (which might have been a birthday party, and not TS13, but still).
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 17 June 2026
Many officials have said in recent speeches that if inflation doesn’t decline, higher rates may be necessary as early as the end of the year.
—Christopher Rugaber, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for speech
Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 17 June 2026
But even among the more-neutral group, speeches became more hawkish.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 17 June 2026
The singer has been out and about in New York the past week, going to game four of the NBA Finals, making an emotional speech at the Songwriters Hall of Fame ceremony, and apparently pulling an all-nighter at Electric Lady Studios (which might have been a birthday party, and not TS13, but still).
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 17 June 2026
Many officials have said in recent speeches that if inflation doesn’t decline, higher rates may be necessary as early as the end of the year.
—Christopher Rugaber, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for speech
Recent Examples of Synonyms for speech
Noun
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And this is where the second component of the performance-lecture’s effectiveness comes in, specifically for artists who work with technology and the internet as their subject and medium.—
Shanti Escalante-De Mattei,
ARTnews.com,
16 June 2026
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The event will also include a lecture series by local historians and scholars about the arts on display.—
Hema Sivanandam,
Mercury News,
15 June 2026
Noun
-
FlareFlow, which operates under COL Group – listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange’s ChiNext board – has released approximately 5,200 series to date, with 33 million registered users, support for 14 languages, and a presence spanning upward of 200 countries and regions.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
16 June 2026
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For the last couple of years, the test has been provided in six languages, allowing vital linguistic access to our more than 70,000 students learning English as a second language.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
15 June 2026
Noun
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Trump made the threat on Sunday, even as Vice President JD Vance met Iranian officials in Switzerland for the first talks under the interim accord.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
22 June 2026
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Still looming over talks, however, is the Israel-Hezbollah conflict in Lebanon, which has continued despite a recent renewal of their ceasefire agreement.—
Deva Lee,
CNN Money,
22 June 2026
Noun
-
There is no real vocabulary and no grammar.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
20 June 2026
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Is retirement in your vocabulary at all?—
Brande Victorian,
HollywoodReporter,
18 June 2026
Noun
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Sign up on the website using your email address, and you’ll get sent a code for an extra 10% off your purchase.—
Hannah Chubb,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 June 2026
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While the royal family's website says that there are no obligatory codes of behavior for meeting King Charles, Queen Camilla or other royals, the traditional forms of address are a small curtsy for women and a neck bow for men.—
Janine Henni,
PEOPLE,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
Despite the belief that biting your tongue protects the relationship and the noble intention behind it, a 2022 UC Berkeley study tied it to more conflict, not less.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026
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To further create a secure feel, the shoe is also made with a plush heel collar and tongue that lock you in without chafing against your feet.—
Jasmine Gomez,
Travel + Leisure,
20 June 2026
Noun
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The greatest of all Fourth of July orations was delivered in 1852, on the 76th anniversary of American independence, by Frederick Douglass in Rochester, New York.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
31 May 2026
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Though the speech was likely written by the government—in keeping with long-standing tradition that the monarch speaks for the government during high-profile oration—the king did find a way to put his own flair on a few of the jokes, and got plenty of laughs from Congress.—
Erin Vanderhoof,
Vanity Fair,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Shanghainese scriptwriter Zhang interwove her personal experience into the script, with more than 50% of the dialogue spoken in the Shanghai dialect.—
Jenny S. Li,
Variety,
12 June 2026
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Ultimately the difficulty of the task was what led him to sign on, which involved working with three different dialect coaches and studying with a Cuban professor named Rafael Rojas.—
Leigh Nordstrom,
Footwear News,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Speech.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/speech. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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