speak for
Britishverb
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to speak as a representative of (other people)
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to be so evident that no further comment is necessary
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informal (used as an imperative) do not presume that other people agree with you
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Intercede for, recommend, as in He spoke for the young applicant, commending her honesty . [c. 1300]
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Express the views of, as in I can't speak for my husband but I'd love to accept , or I don't care what Harry thinks—Speak for yourself, Joe . [c. 1300]
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speak for itself . Be significant or self-evident, as in They haven't called us in months, and that speaks for itself . [Second half of 1700s]
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spoken for . Ordered, engaged, or reserved, as in This lot of rugs is already spoken for , or Is this dance spoken for? This usage comes from the older verb, bespeak , meaning “to order.” [Late 1600s]
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.
“We just let the program speak for us,” Huntsinger said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 6, 2026
Mary is not a member of the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition and said she cannot speak for them.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
I’ve heard “The data speak for themselves” countless times.
From Slate ● Aug. 27, 2026
In a letter to investors, Collison suggested Stripe is better off as a private company because of the “singularity,” tech speak for the moment when AI becomes more capable than humans.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
I also try to speak for myself and ask my teachers to excuse me from some of the homework.
From "The Running Dream" by Wendelin Van Draanen
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.
