Speaking — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun verb /ˈspē-kiŋ/ speak·ing

Meaning & Definition of Speaking

Speaking (adjective)

  1. that speaks, capable of speech
  2. having a population that speaks a specified language —usually used in combination
  3. that involves talking or giving speeches

Speaking (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in talking, communicative

    similar: communicative, talking, articulate, eloquent, fluent, voluble, well-spoken, gabby, garrulous, loquacious, talkative, talky, outspoken, unreserved, vocal, facile, glib, silver-tongued, smooth-tongued
    opposite: mum, mute, muted, silent, speechless, uncommunicative, wordless, inarticulate, tongue-tied, nonvocal, voiceless

Speaking (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in communication, talking

    similar: communication, talking, eloquence, fluency, volubility, chattiness, garrulousness, loquaciousness, loquacity, talkativeness, talkiness, verboseness, verbosity, windiness, wordiness
    opposite: muteness, silence, speechlessness, stillness, inarticulacy, inarticulateness, voicelessness, reserve, reticence, reticency, taciturnity

Speaking (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to express (a thought or emotion) in words

    "finally spoke her fears"

    similar: articulating, bringing out, enunciating, passing, saying, stating, talking, telling, uttering, verbalizing, vocalizing, putting into words
    related: airing, discussing, giving, looking, sharing, sounding, ventilating, venting, voicing, blabbering, blurting, bolting, getting off, shooting, advertising, announcing, blazing, broadcasting, declaring, posting, proclaiming, promulgating, publicizing, publishing, affirming, alleging, asserting, averring, avouching, avowing, breathing, chirping, drawling, gasping, lipping, mouthing, murmuring, purring, shouting, spluttering, spouting, whispering, clothing, couching, formulating, formulizing, phrasing, putting, wording, commenting, piping up (with), remarking, ripping (out), snarling
    near: stifling, suppressing

  2. to give a formal often extended talk on a subject

    "the Mayanists have been invited to speak about their latest archaeological discoveries"

    similar: declaiming, descanting, discoursing, expatiating, haranguing, lecturing, orating, talking, holding forth, taking the floor
    related: reciting, soliloquizing, disserting, expounding, pontificating, sermonizing, mouthing, spouting, filibustering

Related Entry: Speak (verb)

Speak is a different word from Speaking. The synonyms below are for speak, not for speaking.

  1. to express (a thought or emotion) in words

    "finally spoke her fears"

    similar: articulate, bring out, enunciate, pass, say, state, talk, tell, utter, verbalize, vocalize, put into words
    related: air, discuss, give, look, share, sound, vent, ventilate, voice, blabber, bolt, blurt, get off, shoot, advertise, announce, blaze, broadcast, declare, post, proclaim, promulgate, publicize, publish, affirm, allege, assert, aver, avouch, avow, breathe, chirp, drawl, gasp, lip, mouth, murmur, purr, shout, splutter, spout, whisper, clothe, couch, formulate, formulize, phrase, put, word, comment, pipe up (with), remark, rip (out), snarl
    near: stifle, suppress

  2. to give a formal often extended talk on a subject

    "the Mayanists have been invited to speak about their latest archaeological discoveries"

    similar: declaim, descant, discourse, expatiate, harangue, lecture, orate, talk, hold forth, take the floor
    related: recite, soliloquize, dissert, expound, pontificate, sermonize, mouth, spout, filibuster

Related Entry: Speak (for) (verb)

Speak (for) is a different word from Speaking. The synonyms below are for speak (for), not for speaking.

  1. to make a request for

    "she has already spoken for the position, so it should go to her"

    similar: ask (for), bespeak, call (for), desire, plead (for), quest, request, seek, solicit, sue (for)
    related: apply (for), beg (for), claim, clamor (for), importune, urge, wish (for), demand, enjoin, exact, insist (on), petition (for), press (for), require, requisition, invite, invoke

Related Entry: Speak (to or with) (verb)

Speak (to or with) is a different word from Speaking. The synonyms below are for speak (to or with), not for speaking.

  1. to communicate with by means of spoken words

    "we spoke to the mall's leasing agent about opening a shop"

    similar: chat (with), converse (with), talk (to), engage in conversation
    related: accost, address, board, collar, greet, hail, herald, inform, notify, tell

Related Entry: Speaking (about) (verb)

Speaking (about) is a different word from Speaking. The synonyms below are for speaking (about), not for speaking.

  1. as in talking (about), reviewing

    similar: reviewing, talking (about), agitating, arguing, bandying, batting (around or back and forth), canvassing, debating, discussing, disputing, hashing (over or out), mooting, talking over, broaching, introducing, propounding, raising, stirring up, forging, hammering out, talking out, thrashing (out), wrestling (with), chewing over, considering, deliberating, weighing

Related Entry: Speaking (of) (verb)

Speaking (of) is a different word from Speaking. The synonyms below are for speaking (of), not for speaking.

  1. as in talking (about), airing

    similar: airing, expressing, talking (about), ventilating, venting, offering, proposing, suggesting, interjecting, interrupting, alluding (to), citing, mentioning, naming, referring (to), debating, discussing, thrashing (out or over), bringing up, broaching, introducing, mooting, placing, raising
    opposite: censoring, hushing (up), quieting, silencing, suppressing

Related Entry: Speaking out (adjective)

Speaking out is a different word from Speaking. The synonyms below are for speaking out, not for speaking.

  1. as in speaking up, expatiating

    similar: expatiating, speaking up, blabby, chatty, communicative, expansive, gabby, garrulous, loquacious, talkative, talky, vocal, articulating, speaking, talking, articulate, eloquent, fluent, voluble
    opposite: inarticulate, mute, speechless, voiceless, tongue-tied, incoherent, incomprehensible

Related Entry: Speaking up (adjective)

Speaking up is a different word from Speaking. The synonyms below are for speaking up, not for speaking.

  1. as in speaking out, expatiating

    similar: expatiating, speaking out, blabby, chatty, communicative, expansive, gabby, garrulous, loquacious, talkative, talky, vocal, articulating, speaking, talking, articulate, eloquent, fluent, voluble
    opposite: inarticulate, mute, speechless, voiceless, tongue-tied, incoherent, incomprehensible

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Speaking

The most common words with a similar meaning to Speaking:

communicative, talking, articulate, eloquent, fluent, voluble, well-spoken, gabby, garrulous, loquacious, talkative, talky, outspoken, unreserved, vocal, facile, glib, silver-tongued, smooth-tongued, communication, eloquence, fluency, volubility, chattiness, garrulousness, loquaciousness, loquacity, talkativeness, talkiness, verboseness, verbosity, windiness, wordiness, articulating, bringing out, enunciating, passing, saying, stating, telling

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Speaking

Words with the opposite meaning of Speaking:

mum, mute, muted, silent, speechless, uncommunicative, wordless, inarticulate, tongue-tied, nonvocal, voiceless, muteness, silence, speechlessness, stillness, inarticulacy, inarticulateness, voicelessness, reserve, reticence, reticency, taciturnity

Related Words for Speaking

airing, discussing, giving, looking, sharing, sounding, ventilating, venting, voicing, blabbering, blurting, bolting, getting off, shooting, advertising, announcing, blazing, broadcasting, declaring, posting, proclaiming, promulgating, publicizing, publishing, affirming, alleging, asserting, averring, avouching, avowing

Near Antonyms of Speaking

stifling, suppressing

Origin & Etymology of Speaking

First known use: 13th century

Words & Phrases Containing Speaking

speaking tube, speaking part/role, speaking voice, public speaking, relatively speaking, financially speaking, generally speaking, in a manner of speaking

Frequently Asked Questions about Speaking

What does "Speaking" mean?

"Speaking" means that speaks, capable of speech. As an an adjective, a noun and a verb, it is defined as: that speaks, capable of speech. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Speaking"?

Other words for "Speaking" include communicative, talking, articulate, eloquent, fluent, voluble, well-spoken and gabby. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Speaking" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Speaking"?

There are 114 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Speaking". Common alternatives include communicative, talking, articulate, eloquent, fluent, voluble, well-spoken, gabby, garrulous and loquacious.

What is the opposite of "Speaking"?

Antonyms of "Speaking" include mum, mute, muted, silent, speechless, uncommunicative, wordless and inarticulate. Near antonyms include stifling and suppressing.

How do you use "Speaking" in a sentence?

Examples of "Speaking" in a sentence: "finally spoke her fears"; "the Mayanists have been invited to speak about their latest archaeological discoveries".

Is "Speaking" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Speaking" can be used as an adjective, a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Speaking"?

"Speaking" is pronounced /ˈspē-kiŋ/ and divided into syllables as speak·ing.

What is the origin of the word "Speaking"?

First known use: 13th century.