spoken

adjective

spo·​ken ˈspō-kən 

1

: delivered by word of mouth : oral

2

: characterized by speaking in (such) a manner

—used in combination

soft-spoken

plainspoken

Synonyms

• oral
• verbal

Examples of spoken in a Sentence

a spoken agreement is too easily broken

a politician who knows the power of the spoken word

Recent Examples on the Web

While traditional voice recognition focused on transcribing spoken words, emotional AI adds a new layer: interpreting how those words are delivered. —Harshal Shah, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025

For hundreds of years, music has invoked feelings of faith and unity among churchgoers in ways that simple, spoken prayer cannot do. —Aaron Valdez, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025

And if that’s true, then conversation, spoken dialogue, will continue to drive so many workflows in healthcare, including documentation. —Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 2 July 2025

At the first public meeting May 6, there was no formal presentation or opportunity for spoken comment. —Keely Doll, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

past participle of speak

First Known Use

1560, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing spoken

• be spoken for
• fair-spoken
• free-spoken
• short-spoken
• softly-spoken
• soft-spoken
• well-spoken

Rhymes for spoken

• broken
• oaken
• token
• woken
• awoken
• betoken
• heartbroken
• outspoken
• unbroken
• unspoken

Kids Definition

spoken

adjective

spo·​ken ˈspō-kən 

1

: given by or using speech

a spoken message

the spoken language

2

: speaking in a specified manner

soft-spoken

plainspoken