speak of

phrasal verb

spoke of; spoken of; speaking of; speaks of
1
: to talk or write about (someone or something) : to mention (a subject) in speech or writing
Speaking of Jill, where is she?
It was the first time she spoke of going to law school.
She never speaks of her suffering during the war.
In the letter, he spoke of feeling ill.
2
: to indicate or suggest (something)
His diaries speak of a troubled mind.
3
: to talk about (someone or something) in a specified way
He spoke well/highly/favorably of both job candidates.
4
chiefly US : to show that (someone or something) does or does not deserve to be praised, admired, etc.
The continued success of the business speaks well of their judgment.
Her bad behavior speaks poorly of her upbringing.

Examples of speak of in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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In his podcast, Liefeld asserted a head-turning opinion about Feige, who generally is only spoken of in Hollywood and comic book circles with superlatives. Aaron Couch, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Feb. 2025 There’s no real evidence of a Chiefs conspiracy to speak of. Sean Gregory, TIME, 6 Feb. 2025 For decades, transfer remained the third rail of Israeli politics - so extreme, so indefensible, that it could not be spoken of in polite company. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Feb. 2025 Upon revealing the artwork for Cowboy Carter, back in March 2024, Beyoncé spoke of the criticism she’s faced while seeking acceptance within country music. Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 3 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for speak of 

Dictionary Entries Near speak of

Cite this Entry

“Speak of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/speak%20of. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.

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