3
b
: to give expression to : communicate
a glance that said all that was necessary
: to express oneself : speak
1
: an expression of opinion
had my say
2
: a right or power to influence action or decision
especially
: the authority to make final decisions
3
archaic
: something that is said : statement
1
: about, approximately
the property is worth, say, four million dollars
2
: for example : as
if we compress any gas, say oxygen
Synonyms
Examples of say in a Sentence
Verb
“Is anybody there?” he said.
“Good morning,” said the woman behind the counter.
I said three words before he interrupted me again.
I just stopped by to say hello.
He left without saying goodbye.
I wanted to say thank you for all you've done for me.
She said something about going to the store after work.
He said something in French.
Anything you say to the police can be used as evidence against you.
Don't believe a word he says.
Noun
Everybody had a say at the meeting.
We won't make a decision until all members have had their say.
The judge will have the final say on the divorce settlement.
He had no say in the matter.
Adverb
a person consumes, say, 2000 calories a day
Recent Examples on the Web
Michael Schneider, Variety, 25 Apr. 2024
Notification letters are scheduled to be sent to owners about the recall on June 18, the NHTSA said, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pump assembly at no cost.
—USA TODAY, 24 Apr. 2024
The Heisman Trust president never said anything about Bush’s innocence.
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2024
Parkinson said the industry will keep pressing Congress to overturn the regulation.
—Jordan Rau, NPR, 24 Apr. 2024
Columbia University also said that student protesters in the encampment have agreed to comply with all requirements of the New York City Fire Department and that encampments have prohibited discriminatory or harassing language.
—Jon Haworth, ABC News, 24 Apr. 2024
More than 100,000 other tickets sold in California also won prizes ranging from $2 to $9,000 in the drawing, the lottery said.
—Don Sweeney, Sacramento Bee, 24 Apr. 2024
The woman died on the highway and the driver stayed on the scene, Camacho said.
—Omar Rodríguez Ortiz, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2024
In the filing, prosecutor Kari Morrissey asked that she be sentenced to the maximum — 18 months — and said that the recorded calls show her lack of contrition.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 13 Apr. 2024
USA TODAY, 24 Apr. 2024
Blocking Change: Groundwater is dwindling in much of the United States, but only a powerful few have a say over its use.
—Jack Healy, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2024
The Office of Special Trial Counsel will have the final say, the Army told the news organizations.
—Vianna Davila, ProPublica, 19 Apr. 2024
But even in the highest-profile trials, no defense counsel — or prosecutor — has been granted an unrestricted say in who gets on the jury.
—Kyler Alvord, Peoplemag, 17 Apr. 2024
The board is an advisory panel that makes recommendations on zoning requests to the Mooresville Board of Commissioners, which has final say.
—Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 16 Apr. 2024
Bedford bought in December 2021 so that the city would have a say in the type of development after residents vehemently opposed more apartments in the city.
—Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Apr. 2024
The foundation board has dozens of trustees — Cheney among them — who offer nominations to a 12-member executive committee, which has the final say on each year’s winner of the Ford Medal for Distinguished Public Service.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
And some donors that could benefit from having a say in who becomes secretary of state, like key players in the securities industry, are barred from donating based on internal rules.
—Anna Sago, Kansas City Star, 10 Apr. 2024
Verb
Popular on Variety Lewis said the show accommodated her limitations on stage.
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 25 Apr. 2024
Notification letters are scheduled to be sent to owners about the recall on June 18, the NHTSA said, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pump assembly at no cost.
—USA TODAY, 24 Apr. 2024
The Heisman Trust president never said anything about Bush’s innocence.
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2024
Parkinson said the industry will keep pressing Congress to overturn the regulation.
—Jordan Rau, NPR, 24 Apr. 2024
Columbia University also said that student protesters in the encampment have agreed to comply with all requirements of the New York City Fire Department and that encampments have prohibited discriminatory or harassing language.
—Jon Haworth, ABC News, 24 Apr. 2024
More than 100,000 other tickets sold in California also won prizes ranging from $2 to $9,000 in the drawing, the lottery said.
—Don Sweeney, Sacramento Bee, 24 Apr. 2024
The woman died on the highway and the driver stayed on the scene, Camacho said.
—Omar Rodríguez Ortiz, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2024
In the filing, prosecutor Kari Morrissey asked that she be sentenced to the maximum — 18 months — and said that the recorded calls show her lack of contrition.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 13 Apr. 2024
Noun
The release goes onto say that not long after the girl moved in with her mother, the two vanished.
—USA TODAY, 24 Apr. 2024
Blocking Change: Groundwater is dwindling in much of the United States, but only a powerful few have a say over its use.
—Jack Healy, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2024
The Office of Special Trial Counsel will have the final say, the Army told the news organizations.
—Vianna Davila, ProPublica, 19 Apr. 2024
But even in the highest-profile trials, no defense counsel — or prosecutor — has been granted an unrestricted say in who gets on the jury.
—Kyler Alvord, Peoplemag, 17 Apr. 2024
The board is an advisory panel that makes recommendations on zoning requests to the Mooresville Board of Commissioners, which has final say.
—Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 16 Apr. 2024
Bedford bought in December 2021 so that the city would have a say in the type of development after residents vehemently opposed more apartments in the city.
—Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Apr. 2024
The foundation board has dozens of trustees — Cheney among them — who offer nominations to a 12-member executive committee, which has the final say on each year’s winner of the Ford Medal for Distinguished Public Service.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
And some donors that could benefit from having a say in who becomes secretary of state, like key players in the securities industry, are barred from donating based on internal rules.
—Anna Sago, Kansas City Star, 10 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'say.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near say
Cite this Entry
“Say.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/say. Accessed 28 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
say
1 of 3 verb1
2
a
: utter entry 2 sense 2, pronounce
can't say more than three words without laughing
b
: recite sense 1, repeat
said my prayers
3
a
: indicate sense 2, show
the clock says five minutes after ten
b
: to give expression to : communicate
the look on his face said it all
4
: suppose sense 1, assume
let's say you're right
say
2 of 3 noun1
: an expression of opinion
had my say
2
: the power to decide or help decide
had no say in the plans
say
3 of 3 adverb1
: about as much or as many as
is worth, say, ten dollars
2
: as an example
pick any state, say Iowa
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