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 justice

—Clive Bell

Synonyms

• pipe up
• shoot
• sound off
• speak out
• spout (off)
• talk up

Examples of speak up in a Sentence

she's never been afraid to speak up at town meetings

Recent Examples on the Web

The suit alleges that the department’s captains moved him in retaliation for speaking up against Barnett’s homophobic comments. —Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024

According to Williams, that triggered several players to speak up after Eberflus addressed the team in the locker room. —Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 4 Nov. 2024

But embracing vulnerability in your career—whether that’s speaking up in a meeting, sharing a bold idea or taking on a challenging role—helps break through limiting beliefs. —Shay Levister, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024

Healthcare price transparency is a pertinent issue for Fat Joe as he’s continued to speak up in support of U.S. citizens while targeting the price gouging pharma companies. —Michael Saponara, Billboard, 29 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1681, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

speak up

verb

: speak out