speak up

verb

spoke up; spoken up; speaking up; speaks up

intransitive verb

1
: to speak loudly and distinctly
2
: to express an opinion freely
speak up for truth and justiceClive Bell

Examples of speak up in a Sentence

she's never been afraid to speak up at town meetings
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Prince Harry spoke up for young activists in the name of Princess Diana a day after a high stakes meeting with King Charles III. Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025 Receiver Scotty Miller said that in the meeting room, Metcalf often speaks up to ask questions or give his teammates tips. Mike Defabo, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025 Who speaks up in meetings versus who stays silent? Jennifer Kamara, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025 When people don’t feel safe to speak up, ask questions or make mistakes, that’s a toxic workplace. Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 10 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for speak up

Word History

First Known Use

1681, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of speak up was in 1681

Cite this Entry

“Speak up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/speak%20up. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

speak up

verb

More from Merriam-Webster on speak up

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