as in spoken out
to voice one's opinions freely with force
she's never been afraid to speak up at town meetings
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Recent Examples of spoken up
Pashaei objects to the alleged silencing and retaliation against American female athletes who have spoken up for the protection of women's sports from biological male trans athletes.
—
Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 18 Mar. 2026
Over the past few weeks, a number of people have spoken up about just how much of the show is true.
—Meg Walters, InStyle, 7 Mar. 2026
Soudal–Quick-Step have not spoken up in that discussion regularly this season.
—Andy McGrath, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2026
Bridges also isn’t the only big star who’s spoken up about ICE recently.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 8 Oct. 2025
But individual commissioners have spoken up on either side of it.
—Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2025
Why haven't our players and the PGA spoken up to condemn them?
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 30 Sep. 2025
Obama, who has kept a relatively low profile since leaving office, has spoken up more recently about political issues and Trump’s actions since the former real-estate tycoon retook office in January.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 18 Sep. 2025
Since then, others involved in the scandal have spoken up, with one women, Makenna Gibbons, alleging that Paul was partly to blame for her divorce.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Sep. 2025
Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 18 Mar. 2026
Over the past few weeks, a number of people have spoken up about just how much of the show is true.
—Meg Walters, InStyle, 7 Mar. 2026
Soudal–Quick-Step have not spoken up in that discussion regularly this season.
—Andy McGrath, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2026
Bridges also isn’t the only big star who’s spoken up about ICE recently.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 8 Oct. 2025
But individual commissioners have spoken up on either side of it.
—Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2025
Why haven't our players and the PGA spoken up to condemn them?
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 30 Sep. 2025
Obama, who has kept a relatively low profile since leaving office, has spoken up more recently about political issues and Trump’s actions since the former real-estate tycoon retook office in January.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 18 Sep. 2025
Since then, others involved in the scandal have spoken up, with one women, Makenna Gibbons, alleging that Paul was partly to blame for her divorce.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spoken up
Verb
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Of the many women who have spoken out against you, Gwyneth Paltrow has been particularly upsetting to you.—
Maer Roshan,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Mar. 2026
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King Charles has spoken out about the Epstein files, and, according to multiple outlets, will back a police inquiry into his younger brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the man formerly known as Prince Andrew.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Conan O'Brien shouted out his friend, comedian Martin Short, at the end of the 98th Oscars.—
Marina Watts,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Mar. 2026
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Its writer-director, Ryan Coogler, affectionately shouted out his wife and producing partner, Zinzi; its composer, Ludwig Göransson, spoke of his father investing him with a love of blues music from childhood.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Styles has talked up Simon’s influence on him.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Device makers have talked up a world where users may be able to ask their AI agents to call a cab or book a hotel.—
Arjun Kharpal,
CNBC,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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My older daughter has cried on and off but seems mostly unburdened in a way that only kids can.—
Nicole Frehsee Mazur,
Rolling Stone,
13 Mar. 2026
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Helen wept quietly, believing her world had come to an end, while Alice, always comfortable with attention, cried more lustily.—
Charlotte Brooks,
Big Think,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Thousands have sounded off on the video.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Mayor Mamdani on Friday sounded off against ICE and issued an executive order aimed at putting an exclamation on point on the city’s existing sanctuary policies.—
Josephine Stratman,
New York Daily News,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The water is piped up to the data center for liquid cooling of the servers.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
3 Mar. 2026
-
When the crowd got a chance to ask questions, a rancher piped up.—
Elise Schmelzer,
Denver Post,
24 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spoken up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spoken%20up. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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