spoken

1 of 2

adjective

spo·​ken ˈspō-kən How to pronounce spoken (audio)
Synonyms of spokennext
1
: delivered by word of mouth : oral
2
: characterized by speaking in (such) a manner
—used in combination
soft-spoken
plainspoken

spoken

2 of 2

past participle of speak

Synonyms of spoken

Relevance

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of spoken in a Sentence

Adjective a spoken agreement is too easily broken a politician who knows the power of the spoken word
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.
Adjective
Donalds’ spoken acceptance of the inevitability of massive data centers, and their support for his candidacy, is one of his biggest political liabilities. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 25 Aug. 2026 That experience in the mid-1990s sent the soft-spoken Rousseau, who had spent his career in public policy, on a quest to review the county’s education system and political power structure. — Tamar Hallerman, AJC.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Refactoring evergreen policy updates and executive profiles into short spoken audio feeds taps into passive commuting or exercise windows, dramatically expanding consumption reach. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 While Manson’s final spoken words before his death are unknown, the cult killer participated in interviews with author and television producer James Buddy Day throughout the last year of his life. — Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 15 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for spoken

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

past participle of speak

First Known Use

Adjective

1560, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of spoken was in 1560

Phrases Containing spoken

Rhymes for spoken

See All Rhymes for spoken

Browse Nearby Words

spokeless
spoken
spokeshave
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spoken.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spoken. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

spoken

adjective
spo·​ken ˈspō-kən How to pronounce spoken (audio)
1
: given by or using speech
a spoken message
the spoken language
2
: speaking in a specified manner
soft-spoken
plainspoken
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All