as in spoken out
to voice one's opinions freely with force
she's never been afraid to speak up at town meetings
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Recent Examples of spoken up
As Self decides on his coaching future, several players have spoken up on his behalf, specifically in regard to online criticism about the Jayhawks’ recent seasons.
—
Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2026
The exemption, however, has alarmed residents, who have spoken up at county board meetings and launched a community organization, Not in My Backyard Imperial, to protest the data center and demand a CEQA review.
—Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026
Pashaei objects to the alleged silencing and retaliation against American female athletes who have spoken up for the protection of women's sports from biological male trans athletes.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 18 Mar. 2026
Over the past few weeks, a number of people have spoken up about just how much of the show is true.
—Meg Walters, InStyle, 7 Mar. 2026
Soudal–Quick-Step have not spoken up in that discussion regularly this season.
—Andy McGrath, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2026
Bridges also isn’t the only big star who’s spoken up about ICE recently.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 8 Oct. 2025
But individual commissioners have spoken up on either side of it.
—Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2025
Obama, who has kept a relatively low profile since leaving office, has spoken up more recently about political issues and Trump’s actions since the former real-estate tycoon retook office in January.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 18 Sep. 2025
Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2026
The exemption, however, has alarmed residents, who have spoken up at county board meetings and launched a community organization, Not in My Backyard Imperial, to protest the data center and demand a CEQA review.
—Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026
Pashaei objects to the alleged silencing and retaliation against American female athletes who have spoken up for the protection of women's sports from biological male trans athletes.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 18 Mar. 2026
Over the past few weeks, a number of people have spoken up about just how much of the show is true.
—Meg Walters, InStyle, 7 Mar. 2026
Soudal–Quick-Step have not spoken up in that discussion regularly this season.
—Andy McGrath, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2026
Bridges also isn’t the only big star who’s spoken up about ICE recently.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 8 Oct. 2025
But individual commissioners have spoken up on either side of it.
—Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2025
Obama, who has kept a relatively low profile since leaving office, has spoken up more recently about political issues and Trump’s actions since the former real-estate tycoon retook office in January.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 18 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spoken up
Verb
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Davis and other residents have spoken out again and again about the water that can resemble urine pouring from their taps.—
Karl Schneider,
IndyStar,
31 Mar. 2026
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Over the past year, numerous artists have spoken out against ICE.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The officers shouted overlapping commands, telling LaMorie to stop and drop the knife before firing seconds later.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
-
King shouted, his voice echoing.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The lawmakers say this could be a serious problem, considering federal agencies, including the FBI, have talked up the privacy benefits of using VPNs.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
26 Mar. 2026
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In 2021, the real estate investment trust Seritage Growth Properties had talked up the possibility of installing as many as nine residential and office buildings on the site.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Jonathan Kennedy, a tow truck operator, cried too.—
Emerson Clarridge
Updated March 27,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Mar. 2026
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Classmates held pink flowers and cried, and her grandparents thanked everyone for coming.—
Angela George,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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People sounded off, hearing that the Garrettford-Drexel Hill Fire Company didn't respond to any emergency calls on Wednesday night.—
Joe Holden,
CBS News,
26 Mar. 2026
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Thousands have sounded off on the video.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The water is piped up to the data center for liquid cooling of the servers.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
3 Mar. 2026
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When the crowd got a chance to ask questions, a rancher piped up.—
Elise Schmelzer,
Denver Post,
24 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spoken up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spoken%20up. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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