say

verb
UK: /seɪ/
US: /seɪ/

  1. To pronounce words; to speak.

    1. Please say your name clearly. [ ] [ ]
    2. I didn't say anything about the missing money to anyone. [ ] [ ]

  2. To express something with words.

    1. What did you say to her? [ ] [ ]
    2. He says he's too busy to come, but I suspect he just doesn't want to. [ ] [ ]

  3. To state an opinion or thought.

    1. I'd say it's a good idea. [ ] [ ]
    2. Many people say that the new law is unfair to small businesses. [ ] [ ]

  4. To indicate or show something.

    1. The clock says it's three o'clock. [ ] [ ]
    2. All the signs say that the economy is improving significantly. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

declare express state utter speak pronounce mention remark
say noun

  1. Something that someone has said.

    1. I had my say at the meeting. [ ] [ ]
    2. Do you want to have your say before we make a final decision on it? [ ] [ ]
say conjunction

  1. Used to introduce a thought or suggestion.

    1. Let's say we go to the beach. [ ] [ ]
    2. Say you won the lottery; what would you do with the money then? [ ] [ ]
say interjection

  1. Used to indicate something chosen at random as an example.

    1. Pick any card, say the queen. [ ] [ ]
    2. Let's invite some friends over, say, John and Mary, for dinner. [ ] [ ]
say adverb

  1. Used to indicate approximate quantity, amount, or time.

    1. It cost, say, about ten dollars. [ ] [ ]
    2. We should arrive in, say, about half an hour if the traffic allows. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "say" in English means: To pronounce words; to speak., To express something with words., To state an opinion or thought., To indicate or show something..

The phonetic transcription of "say" is /seɪ/ in British English and /seɪ/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "say": declare, express, state, utter, speak, pronounce, mention, remark.

Example usage of "say": "Please say your name clearly.". More examples on the page.