Upspeak

//ʌpˈspiːk// noun, verb

noun, verb ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A manner of speaking in which the intonation of one's voice rises at the end of a statement, as if expressing uncertainty or asking a question; uptalk. uncountable

    "[...] the nurse answers in upspeak. “You can work on it only if you're supervised.” Even the Oil of Olay moisturizer is confiscated. “It's in a glass jar?” Upspeak again."

Verb
  1. 1
    To speak up; advocate. intransitive

    ""Well, if I didn't stay in your home," upspoke the maiden lady, "I shouldn't care to know what it would become.""

  2. 2
    To speak with upspeak; uptalk. ambitransitive

Example

More examples

""Well, if I didn't stay in your home," upspoke the maiden lady, "I shouldn't care to know what it would become.""

Etymology

From up- + speak.

Related phrases

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.