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 Snoop was forced to speak up after the social media outrage reached a crescendo, and in doing so, brought even more attention to King Ice. Lilian Raji, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024 With the help of his loyal, oddball animal friends, Pierre finds the courage to speak up, break tradition, and change his world for the better. Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2024 The energy in the room was palpable; women who had long been silent about their menopause journeys were now inspired to speak up, seek answers and take control of their health. Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 28 Oct. 2024 Actor Julie Bowen, who served as a source of support for Hyland during an abusive relationship, praises her former co-star for her resilience and openness in speaking up to advocate for fellow survivors. Bruna Nessif, Variety, 24 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for speak up 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'speak up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

speak up

verb

More from Merriam-Webster on speak up

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