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
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Recent Examples of speech
The court has also found that hyperbolic political speech is protected.
—
Eric Tucker, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026
The data also lets teachers pinpoint kids who are speaking less than their peers and then work to determine if the child is shy or perhaps has signs of a speech delay the parents should discuss with their pediatrician.
—Michael Cuglietta, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
Watching the House chamber from the viewing gallery before the speech was like peering into a garden party from above.
—Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2026
His was quite an emotional speech, spoken at times with humor and passion.
—Brie Stimson , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for speech
Eric Tucker, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026
The data also lets teachers pinpoint kids who are speaking less than their peers and then work to determine if the child is shy or perhaps has signs of a speech delay the parents should discuss with their pediatrician.
—Michael Cuglietta, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
Watching the House chamber from the viewing gallery before the speech was like peering into a garden party from above.
—Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2026
His was quite an emotional speech, spoken at times with humor and passion.
—Brie Stimson , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for speech
Recent Examples of Synonyms for speech
Noun
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Chapman’s lecture was one of several sessions making up the first day of Screen Forever 40, the three-day industry conference marking the 40th edition of the Screen Producers Australia gathering.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
28 Apr. 2026
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Audiences are now challenging the media’s monopoly and the top-down lecture modes of addressing viewers and readers, which in some cases can present ethical challenges.—
Shepherd Mpofu,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Across collectors, cultural institutions and design circles, perfume bottles are increasingly being recognized not as packaging, but as artifacts — objects that preserve history, identity and the visual language of their time.—
Sudhir Gupta,
Rolling Stone,
27 Apr. 2026
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The milquetoast nature of the statement — with its measured language and nonexistent call to action — and the broader absence of real accountability have nagged at me for weeks.—
Uzma Rentia,
STAT,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Investors had cheered the talks and the prospect of change at a fiercely independent company that had relied on decades-old relationships.—
Edwin Chan,
Bloomberg,
27 Apr. 2026
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There was talk that the Falcons might be willing to trade Pitts for draft picks at some point during the weekend.—
Josh Kendall,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Although research suggests that elementary teachers should focus on helping students learn the sounds of speech, phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary and reading comprehension strategies, there is little evidence on how well these skills are packaged into the textbooks used in classrooms.—
Shawn Datchuk,
The Conversation,
23 Apr. 2026
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The team's next steps are testing with more users across more sessions, expanding the vocabulary, and improving compensation for body movement.—
Omar Kardoudi
April 23,
New Atlas,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Earlier in the day, Charles delivered a rare address to a joint session of Congress, highlighting the second day of his four-day state visit and placing the spotlight on the strained but enduring relationship between his country and the United States.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
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Yet Johnson and Fernandez, who started a consultancy around the time of Jack Thorne’s blistering MacTaggart address about disability before moving to Casarotto, say their research has found that fewer than 20% of TV productions have worked with access coordinators.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Houseflies find sugar with their feet, which are 10 million times more sensitive than human tongues.—
Julie Sharp,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
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The trick is to sit back, enjoy the views, and allow the chefs to do their magic with every cut—from tenderloin to tongue, cheek, tail, and all.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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And Edward Norton tried to see McKellen’s poetry and raise him an even more on-the-nose piece of oration.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
20 Mar. 2026
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President Donald Trump will deliver his first official State of the Union of his second term on Feb. 24, and many will pay attention to the duration of the speech, especially given his past of lengthy orations.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
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India’s community radio environment has seen slow growth but has been important in preserving local dialects and minority music and folklore traditions while also advocating for women’s and children’s rights.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
23 Apr. 2026
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Much of this influence played a role in what would become the dialect of the South more generally as Scots Irish settlers and their descendants spread into the backcountry of the Upper and, a bit later, the Lowland South.—
Valerie Fridland,
Big Think,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Speech.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/speech. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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