What if you gave a speech and nobody came?
Source: tatoeba (1700)
Speech
/spiːt͡ʃ/
Synonyms for "speech" (329 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (66)
Noun(10 words)
addressdeliverylectureactor's lineaddress oral inarticulacyaddressingarticulationassembly announcementatakapadanish tunge
accentaddressafter-dinner speechalliterationallocutionallusionanacoluthonanadiplosisanalogyanaphoraanastropheansweransweringantiphrasisantithesisantonomasiaapophasisaporiaaposiopesisapostrophe
Show 34 more words
articulatedarticulationblastbull sessioncantcatachresischalk talkchatterchiasmuschinfestchoice of wordscircumlocutionclimaxcommentcommercecommunicatingcommunicationcommunicationalcommunioncommunionalcompositionconfabconfabulationcongressconnectioncontactconversationconversationalconverseconversioncorrespondencedealingdealingsdebate
Verb(2 words)
address colleagues courteouslyaddress concerns
Strong matches (99)
Noun(24 words)
declaimingdeclamationsdialog — germandialoguesdictiondiscoursediscoursingdutch tongenglisheulogiesexpress verballyexpressionfalaforcefully presentedgerman zunge formal stylehmongilaitalian linguaggiolanguagelecture only
declamationdialectdialoguediatribedictiondiscoursedisquisitionduologueecphonesiselocutionemphasisenunciatedenunciationespeulogyexchangeexclamationexhortationexpressionfilibuster
Show 53 more words
forensicforensic addressformal speechformulationfuneral orationgabgeminationgrammarharanguehomilyhortatory addresshypallagehyperbatonhyperboleidiominauguralinaugural addressinformationinteractinginteractioninteractionalinteractiveinterchangeintercommunicationintercommunicationalintercommunicativeintercommunionintercommunionalintercourseinterplayinterresponsiveinterrogativeinterrogatoryinvectiveinversionironyjargonjeremiadlanguagelanguelecturelinelingolingualinguallinguisticlinguistic intercourselitoteslocutionmalapropismmeiosismessagemetaphor
Adjective(1 words)
literary address
Verb(1 words)
make a presentation
Related words (164)
metonymynuncupativeonomatopoeiaoraloral communicationorationoxymoronpalaverpaperparegmenonparenthesisparlanceparleyparolparolepep talkperiphrasisperorationpersonal usagepersonification
Show 91 more words
philippicphrasephraseologyphrasingpitchpleonasmprattleprepared speechprepared textpreteritionprolepsispronouncedpublic speechquestion-and-answer sessionquestioningrappingreadingrecitalrecitationregressionrepetitionreplyreportresponseresponsiverhetoricsaidsales pitchsales talksalutatorysalutatory addresssarcasmsayscreedsermonset speechsimilesimilitudesocial intercoursesong and dancesoundedspeakingspeech circuitspeech situationspeechificationspeechingspielspokenspoonerismsyllepsissymplocesynecdochetalktalkathontalkfesttalkingtelepathictelepathytiradetonguetouchtraffictransmissionaltrialoguetrucktwo-way communicationunwrittenusageuse of wordsusus loquendiutteranceutteredvaledictionvaledictoryvaledictory addressverbalverbalizationverbiagevernacularviva vocevocalvocalizationvocalizedvoicevoicedvoicefulvoicingwordagewordingwordszeugma
Noun(44 words)
monologmonologsmonologuemonologuesold norse tungaoracyoral communicationoral presentationoral presentationsoratingorationorationsoratoriesoratoryparlancepresentationpresentationsromanian limbăsermonsshakespearean address
Show 24 more words
speech communicationspoken communicationspoken discoursespoken languagespoken-language basedtaaltalktalking totalkstoasttoastingtoaststongued the bowltongued the labelutteranceutteringutternessverbal expressionverbalizingvocalizationsvocalizingvoice communicationwordswrite word dialogue
Adjective(8 words)
oral lectureoral reportplenaryspoken wordspoken wordsstructured deliveryverbal languageverbal lecture
Verb(1 words)
verbalizing aloud
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: address, delivery, lecture, accent, actor's line.
- Sentence evidence is available for speech, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse, moby, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "speech".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "speech"
Keep "speech" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "speech" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "speech", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "speech" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
22 entriesauditory communicationcommunicationdiscourseexpressionexpressive stylefacultylanguagelinemental facultymodulepresentationrebukereprehensionreprimandreproofreproval
Showing 16 of 22 words.
More specific
11 entriesCollocations
6 entriesclear speechgive a speechpublic speechspeech classspeech recognitionspeech therapy
Inflections
1 entriesDerivations
5 entriesTranslations
5 translations across 5 languages.
Afrikaans
1 entries- spraakstyl noun (style of speaking)
Azerbaijani
1 entries- danışıq noun (style of speaking)
Finnish
1 entries- puhe noun (style of speaking)
Hungarian
1 entries- beszéd noun (style of speaking)
Māori
1 entries- mita noun (style of speaking)
Sample sentences
27 total sentences available.
There is a fine line between speech that is terse and to the point and speech that is too abrupt.
Source: tatoeba (1945)
Speech is silver, but silence is golden.
Source: tatoeba (2328)
You should come early in order for him to read your manuscript before your speech.
Source: tatoeba (17152)
Showing 4 of 27 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "speech"?
Closest matches include address, delivery, lecture, accent, actor's line.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "speech"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.