as in spouting (off)
to voice one's opinions freely with force
she's never been afraid to speak up at town meetings
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in speaking out
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of speaking up
Sarah Hernholm, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
And thankfully, regulators are speaking up, as well.
—Susan Tompor, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2025
But there’s a moment when a journalist asks him about entertainers speaking up about the war.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
As a mom of two, Morgan is speaking up for the first time since retiring from soccer as a mom and showing that true success isn’t about keeping score.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
For administrators, that means creating a work environment where everyone feels comfortable speaking up and confident that they will be given a fair hearing.
—Nona Han, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Aug. 2025
Near the end of the process, the Republicans on commissioners court began speaking up about their belief that the county should continue being run by a red-majority and that the redistricting would ensure that.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Aug. 2025
This campaign builds community through honesty, celebrates real symptoms, and reminds women that speaking up is a powerful form of self-care.
—Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 5 Aug. 2025
Every tip, every act of speaking up, is a testament to a student's commitment to their community.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Does the environment reward speaking up respectfully?
—Sarah Hernholm, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
And thankfully, regulators are speaking up, as well.
—Susan Tompor, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2025
But there’s a moment when a journalist asks him about entertainers speaking up about the war.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
As a mom of two, Morgan is speaking up for the first time since retiring from soccer as a mom and showing that true success isn’t about keeping score.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
For administrators, that means creating a work environment where everyone feels comfortable speaking up and confident that they will be given a fair hearing.
—Nona Han, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Aug. 2025
Near the end of the process, the Republicans on commissioners court began speaking up about their belief that the county should continue being run by a red-majority and that the redistricting would ensure that.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Aug. 2025
This campaign builds community through honesty, celebrates real symptoms, and reminds women that speaking up is a powerful form of self-care.
—Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 5 Aug. 2025
Every tip, every act of speaking up, is a testament to a student's commitment to their community.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for speaking up
Verb
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The county attorney’s office noted Bowie had written to the Union Park District Council, thanking them for their input, which could be construed as encouraging them to continue speaking out on behalf of the Taylors.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
11 Sep. 2025
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Watch the video of Renner speaking out below.—
William Earl,
Variety,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Israel, a nation which Kirk was a vocal supporter of, has also emerged as a flashpoint following his death.—
Robert Schmad,
The Washington Examiner,
18 Sep. 2025
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The actor, who grew up in a working-class family in Santa Monica, spent decades as a vocal climate activist, founding The Redford Center, dedicated to raising awareness for environmental causes, with his late son James in 2005.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Several years back, Barrow began talking up the script on the website that was then named Twitter.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
16 Sep. 2025
-
For the past decade, investors have been talking up Europe's potential to build valuable tech firms, rebuffing the idea that Silicon Valley is the only place to create innovative new ventures.—
Ryan Browne,
CNBC,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Punishment, through criticizing or shouting at you to diminish your sense of agency and self-worth.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
-
The floor of the House of Representatives erupted into shouting on Wednesday as Republican Representative Lauren Boebert asked for a prayer in honor of Turning Point USA co-founder and CEO Charlie Kirk.—
Anna Commander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Younger Republican voters and GOP contrarians are piping up to challenge the broad consensus in the Republican Party that has been in lockstep with policy on Israel.—
Kristina Karisch,
The Hill,
19 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
For the writers pictured here, engaging with culture isn’t a hobby or a sideline or a way of sounding off.—
Richard Renaldi,
New Yorker,
25 Aug. 2025
-
Local police chiefs are sounding off after viral footage of a brutal Cincinnati assault shined new light on what local leaders are saying is a consistent failure regarding violent offenders being released onto the city’s streets.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Inside, hundreds of people huddled together, crying.—
Rick Jervis,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
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Several dozen students gathered under half-staff flags — some crying quietly, others clutching flowers.—
Hanna Kang,
Oc Register,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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That’s when Billy, a conman serving a debt of service to the pirates, burst through the crowd, yelling at the blaster men.—
Manuel Muñoz,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
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As Mamdani was delivering his opening remarks, a man with a shirt that read Cuba and a Cuban flag approached the stage, yelling that Mamdani was a Communist.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Speaking up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/speaking%20up. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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