speech

noun

ˈspēch How to pronounce speech (audio)
Definition of speechnext
1
as in lecture
a usually formal discourse delivered to an audience the guest of honor gave a short speech in appreciation of the award

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in language
the stock of words, pronunciation, and grammar used by a people as their basic means of communication wanting to develop a writing system for his people, Sequoya created a system of 86 symbols representing all the syllables of Cherokee speech

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of speech In 2020 Harp made a brief speech at the Republican National Convention, telling her story again. — Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Aug. 2026 The audio section handles speech generation, transcription, music, voice changing, voice cloning, isolation, and translation. — Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 25 Aug. 2026 On Friday, Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh will deliver a speech at the Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium. — Fred Imbert, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2026 References to Western civilization permeate strategy documents and speeches by key members of the administration. — Leonard A. Schuette, Foreign Affairs, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for speech
Recent Examples of Synonyms for speech
  1. lecture
  2. language
  3. talk
  4. vocabulary
  5. address
  6. tongue
  7. oration
  8. dialect
Noun
  • Flipping the lecture cycle Classically, engineering courses default to hours of lectures where students are expected to take notes, with problem sets and exams bolted on.
    — Jason Corso, Time, 26 Aug. 2026
  • As YouTube faces heightened scrutiny in Brussels, the lecture also had some lobbying purposes.
    — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of lecture
Noun
  • From a consideration of apoptosis—the orderly elimination of damaged or unnecessary cells—Solé moves on to failing machines, eroded memories, vanished languages, brittle digital archives, and more.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • High-needs students — defined as those receiving free or reduced price meals, English language learners and students with disabilities — also performed about 10 points below the overall student body in each category.
    — Theo Peck-Suzuki, Hartford Courant, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of language
Noun
  • Havard declined to comment on reports that Jimmy Carr is being lined up as the motoring show’s new host, but Deadline hears talks are underway with the comedian.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Deal talks began after Hugging Face, an open-source AI platform developers use to collaborate, test and share tools, received acquisition interest from another suitor, according to The Information.
    — April Roach, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of talk
Noun
  • Cantonese uses different grammar than Mandarin, as well as different vocabulary, particularly in the city of Hong Kong, where speakers often switch between English and Cantonese words, sometimes in the same sentence.
    — Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Ruby Hobbs-Leffler felt things with an intensity that even a smart little girl with a big vocabulary couldn’t put into words.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of vocabulary
Noun
  • Fed Chair Kevin Warsh is scheduled to deliver an address in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, on Friday, where investors will look for clues about the central bank's next steps.
    — Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • In the past, most people going to immigration court got individual hearings where a judge verified their address, asked questions and talked through some options, Hosty said.
    — Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of address
Noun
  • And researchers have also identified disparities in diagnoses, with a recent study indicating men were more likely than women to be diagnosed at a later stage for 20 types of cancer — including stomach, lung, tongue and some throat cancers.
    — Daniel Wu, Washington Post, 30 Aug. 2026
  • According to the listing, the interior has wood floors, tongue-and-groove knotty pine accents, granite countertops, Lutron lighting controls and two gas fireplaces.
    — Brendel Clark, Freep.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of tongue
Noun
  • Afterward, the orations turned to internal divisions, particularly those related to slavery.
    — Barbara Spindel, Christian Science Monitor, 1 July 2026
  • The greatest of all Fourth of July orations was delivered in 1852, on the 76th anniversary of American independence, by Frederick Douglass in Rochester, New York.
    — David Frum, The Atlantic, 31 May 2026
Definition of oration
Noun
  • With so many speakers in different places, Spanish has developed ten different main dialects.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Others argued that the characters should be speaking with Greek accents or even in an ancient Greek dialect to honor the source material’s roots in Greek mythology.
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of dialect

Phrases Containing speech

Browse Nearby Words

sped (up)
speech
speeches
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Cite this Entry

“Speech.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/speech. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on speech

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about speech

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