speak up
Britishverb
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to speak more loudly
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to state one's beliefs, objections, etc, bravely and firmly
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Also, speak out . Talk loudly, so as to be heard, as in Speak up, child, I can't hear you , or He should speak out so that those in back can hear him . The first term dates from the early 1700s, the variant from the early 1500s.
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Also, speak up for . Express one's opinion or one's support for someone or something. For example, When it comes to speaking up about the town's needs, you can rely on Mary , or I'm glad you spoke up for me in that meeting . [c. 1700]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the highest ranking Democrat on the intelligence committee, said he was concerned about Clayton’s ability to speak up.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
In Wentworth's version, there is no cure for Colin and the children gain the necessary language to speak up for themselves and get what they need.
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026
The trend has empowered more women to speak up, especially after a Kazakh blogger with around a million Instagram followers died after undergoing liposuction in May.
From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026
We believe findings here are likely to hold in other places similarly dependent on agriculture, as farmers from Wisconsin to Delaware speak up about their reliance on immigrant labor.
From Salon ● Jun. 28, 2026
Should I be thankful for the people marching, thankful that they are using their voices to speak up, speak out?
From "Betty Before X" by Ilyasah Shabazz and Renée Watson
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.
