to utter words or articulate sounds with the ordinary voice; talk.
He was too ill to speak.
to communicate vocally; mention.
to speak to a person about various matters.
to converse.
She spoke with him for an hour.
to deliver an address, discourse, etc..
to speak at a meeting.
to make a statement in written or printed words.
to communicate, signify, or disclose something by any means; convey significance.
The voters have spoken loud and clear.
Phonetics. to produce sounds or audible sequences of individual or concatenated sounds of a language, especially through phonation, amplification, and resonance, and through any of a variety of articulatory processes.
(of a computer) to express data or other information audibly by means of an audio response unit.
to emit a sound, as a musical instrument; make a noise or report.
Chiefly British. (of dogs) to bark when ordered.
Fox Hunting. (of a hound or pack) to bay on finding a scent.
to utter vocally and articulately.
to speak words of praise.
to express or make known with the voice.
to speak the truth.
to declare in writing or printing, or by any means of communication.
to make known, indicate, or reveal.
to use, or be able to use, in oral utterance, as a language.
to speak French.
(of a computer) to express or make known (data, prompts, etc.) by means of an audio response unit.
Nautical. to communicate with (a passing vessel) at sea, as by voice or signal.
We spoke a whaler on the fourth day at sea.
Archaic. to speak to or with.
speak out to express one's opinion openly and unreservedly.
He was not afraid to speak out when it was something he believed in strongly.
speak for
to intercede for or recommend; speak in behalf of.
to express or articulate the views of; represent.
to choose or prefer; have reserved for oneself.
This item is already spoken for.
speak to
to address or respond to, as in speech or action.
The legislature must speak to the issue of gun violence.
to be appealing or relevant to.
His music speaks to me on a very deep level.
to provide evidence for.
Our company’s rapid growth speaks to the passion and commitment of our employees.
speak well for, to be an indication or reflection of (something commendable); testify admirably to.
Her manners speak well for her upbringing.
to speak of, worth mentioning.
The country has no mineral resources to speak of.
so to speak, to use a manner of speaking; figuratively speaking.
We still don't have our heads above water, so to speak.
speak by the book, to say with great authority or precision.
I can't speak by the book, but I know this is wrong.
to make (verbal utterances); utter (words)
to communicate or express (something) in or as if in words
I speak the truth
(intr) to deliver a speech, discourse, etc
(tr) to know how to talk in (a language or dialect)
he does not speak German
(intr) to make a characteristic sound
the clock spoke
(intr) (of dogs, esp hounds used in hunting) to give tongue; bark
(tr) nautical to hail and converse or communicate with (another vessel) at sea
(intr) (of a musical instrument) to produce a sound
to be a representative or advocate (of)
he speaks for all the members
on good terms; friendly
in a manner of speaking; as it were
to express one's opinions frankly and plainly
of a significant or worthwhile nature
we have had no support to speak of
What is a basic definition of speak? Speak means to talk, to give a lecture or speech, or to use your voice to say something. The word speak has many other senses as a verb and is used in several idioms. Speak is a synonym of talk and means to use words and sounds to communicate. When humans speak with each other, we use language governed by rules to understand each other. Some birds, such as parrots and ravens, are able to imitate human voices. While they don’t actually understand the words they use, we still say these animals are able to speak.
What does -speak mean? The combining form -speak is used like a suffix meaning “a way of talking” or "a variety of language." Often, it has a derogatory, or negative, connotation. It is occasionally used in a variety of informal or slang terms. The form -speak is derived from the word newspeak, from George Orwell's book 1984 (1949). Newspeak is the term Orwell coined to describe the way official language often "say[s] one thing in the guise of its opposite, especially in order to serve a political or ideological cause while pretending to be objective." Put simply, it is language used for propaganda, such as describing a forced labor camp as a "joycamp."
Speak, converse, talk mean to make vocal sounds, usually for purposes of communication. To speak often implies conveying information and may apply to anything from an informal remark to a scholarly presentation to a formal address: to speak sharply; to speak before Congress. To converse is to exchange ideas with someone by speaking: to converse with a friend. To talk is a close synonym for to speak but usually refers to less formal situations: to talk about the weather; to talk with a friend.
First recorded before 900; Middle English speken, Old English specan, variant of sprecan; cognate with German sprechen ( Old High German sprehhan; compare variant spehhan )
To speak is to talk. If a UFO lands in your yard, it will be easier to speak with the aliens if they've learned how to speak English — or if you know how to speak Martian. You can speak to your friend about something private, but you can also speak at the paleontology enthusiasts' convention, presenting your thoughts on the latest dinosaur discoveries. If you speak Spanish or Hindi, it means you are able to communicate in those languages, and if you speak for yourself, it means you offer your own opinions.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Pastor Marlin, 57, said the Protestant synod also helps in cases of violence against women and children "if the victims speak up".
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
The Lakers have signed forward Matisse Thybulle to a one-year, $3.3-million contract, people familiar with the deal but not authorized to speak publicly told The Times Monday.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
His fans speak of “Manchesterism” as the new political model.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
Do you think there is a chance of a potential political solution to this, or is there the political bravery out there to speak to this issue?
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
I swallowed several times before I could speak.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
"We hope that tourists and pilgrims will one day return to this place, because it still carries a message and speaks to us even today," he added.
From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026
“This Department speaks plainly and directly when we identify violations of federal law. Being clear about violations of federal civil rights law isn’t political or combative — it’s transparent,” Dhillon said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 19, 2026
But I’d argue the lack of “Odyssey” films partially stems from the fact that the text speaks for itself.
From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026
Second, Eddins speaks with unusual authority as a sitting judge with skin in the game.
From Slate ● Jul. 17, 2026
And then the person lifts their head and speaks for the first time.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
Thus spake one of the world’s most powerful men this week, after he gained more power still.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 6, 2022
Thus spake Martin Luther King Jr. at the end of the Selma to Montgomery voting rights march.
From Seattle Times ● May 31, 2020
Thus spake Zarathustra He humbly said you listen to me and choose for yourself.
From New York Times ● Apr. 19, 2016
And Gibran spake, It is a misprint for The Profit.
From The Guardian ● Apr. 30, 2010
In a crowded ordinary we found one who spake of a different place, and we returned the next night to receive instructions, that we might be conducted there.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
Burnham also spoke to Volodymyr Zelensky, with the Ukrainian president writing on X: "I truly appreciate that the support for Ukraine and our people will remain steadfast."
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
When I spoke to him later, I loved how different the person was on the phone versus the person I met in the room.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
Hiddleston, who spoke with WSJ about his morning routine, swears by regular runs, soft boiled eggs and Arsenal football.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente spoke afterwards of his "sincere gratitude" to Lamine Yamal.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
My heart expanded and my words cracked as I spoke again.
From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler
The president said late Saturday that he had spoken with both men.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
"There were many consultations yesterday and today. Of course, I hear what people are saying," Zelensky said in an evening address, adding that he had spoken with both Syrsky and Fedorov.
From Barron's ● Jul. 18, 2026
Inflation is showing signs of cooling, and Warsh, when he has spoken about rate policy, hasn’t appeared eager to hike.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 18, 2026
Others had previously written or spoken about her life—all wrong, she said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
It was another line from that Scottish play whose title cannot be spoken.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
He maintained his quiet nature in court, speaking up only once when asked by the judge if he had something to say.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
Brunch is, culturally speaking, a meal of excess.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
“I always empathize with that little kid in Season 1,” he says, speaking from London’s 180 House on a sunny day in July.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
That dances around the manifesto commitment but, strictly speaking, does not break it.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
He said that Uncle Manfred and Aunt Lotti had decided we were no longer welcome in their house, and that we wouldn’t be seeing them or speaking to them ever again.
From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
