spoken

American  

[spoh-kuhn] / ˈspoʊ kən /

verb

1. a past participle of speak.

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adjective

1. uttered or expressed by speaking; oral (opposed to written).

   the spoken word.

2. speaking, or using speech, as specified (usually used in combination).

   fair-spoken; plain-spoken; soft-spoken.

spoken British  

/ ˈspəʊkən /

verb

1. the past participle of speak

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adjective

1. uttered through the medium of speech Compare written

2. (in combination) having speech as specified

   soft-spoken

3. engaged, reserved, or allocated

Etymology

Origin of spoken

First recorded in 1570–80, for the adjective

Explanation

Anything that's spoken is said out loud. "Spoken word" is a genre of poetry that is meant to be recited and performed in front of an audience. Spoken is the past participle of the verb speak, but it's also an adjective that describes things that are uttered or said or articulated or voiced. It's often used in combination with another adjective, like a soft-spoken friend or a blunt-spoken teacher. It can also distinguish one thing from a written version: "I'm taking a spoken exam instead of a written one, so I should do fine."

Example Sentences

Thames Valley Police confirmed that they had already spoken to a number of witnesses.

From BBC • May 22, 2026

Joining them is a boy of unknown provenance who, the others guess, was warned by his parents to keep silent and has never spoken since.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

He has also spoken about shrinking the Fed’s $6.7 trillion balance sheet, which he has said has grown far too large.

From Barron's • May 22, 2026

The Fed will enter a new era on Friday, when Powell’s successor Kevin Warsh, who has spoken out in favor of rate cuts, is due to be sworn in.

From Barron's • May 21, 2026

I was pleased to know that James must’ve spoken about me to him.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu