Say (Verb)
Meaning 1
Express in words; "He said that he wanted to marry her"; "tell me what is bothering you"; "state your opinion"; "state your name".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- Say exactly what's on your mind.
- She said that she wanted to be a doctor.
- Can you say a few words at the funeral.
- What do you say we meet for lunch at noon.
- Please say your name clearly into the microphone.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Hyponyms
- Give
- Explain
- Summarize
- Answer
- Add
- Get Out
- Mention
- Vocalize
- Premise
- Misstate
- Supply
- Articulate
- Announce
- Remark
- Introduce
- Respond
- Sum
- Sum Up
- Precede
- Vocalise
- Present
- Declare
- Note
- Lay Out
Related Words
Meaning 2
Report or maintain; "He alleged that he was the victim of a crime"; "He said it was too late to intervene in the war"; "The registrar says that I owe the school money".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- The director reported that the company was doing well financially.
- She alleged that her husband was having an affair with someone else.
- The registrar says that I owe the school money.
- The coach maintains that the new player has great potential.
- He stated that he was not responsible for the damages.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
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Related Words
Meaning 3
Speak, pronounce, or utter in a certain way; "She pronounces French words in a funny way"; "I cannot say `zip wire'"; "Can the child sound out this complicated word?".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- Most people struggle to say the word 'Worcestershire' correctly on their first attempt.
- He has an unusual way of saying his surname, almost like a French pronunciation.
- The actor had to practice every day to say the difficult monologue with confidence.
- Be very careful how you say it, as the child might get offended by the tone.
- The tourists find it hard to say some of the local place names in their native accent.
Synonyms
Hyponyms
Meaning 4
Express a supposition; "Let us say that he did not tell the truth"; "Let's say you had a lot of money--what would you do?".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- Let's say the project goes ahead – how will it affect the local community.
- Say you had won the lottery, what would you do with the money.
- Let's say you're given three wishes, what would they be.
- Say he was a talented artist, but never pursued it seriously.
- Let's say the company fires half of its employees, what happens next.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Meaning 5
Give instructions to or direct somebody to do something with authority; "I said to him to go home"; "She ordered him to do the shopping"; "The mother told the child to get dressed".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- The teacher said to the student to write the essay again.
- I say to you to never speak to me in that tone again.
- The police officer told the driver to move to the side of the road.
- She said to him to take his medicine right away.
- The captain ordered his men to charge into battle immediately.
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Hyponyms
Meaning 6
Utter aloud; "She said `Hello' to everyone in the office".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- She said 'hello' as she walked through the door.
- He said the magic words to awaken the old computer.
- She said her goodbyes to the team on her last day of work.
- The teacher said the correct answer was 24.
- The comedian said he'd never met someone who didn't love pizza.
Hypernyms
Meaning 7
Indicate; "The clock says noon".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- The sign says the store is closed for renovations.
- Her birth certificate says she was born on January 12th.
- The weather forecast says it will rain tomorrow.
- The speed limit sign says 65 miles per hour.
- The labels on these bottles say 'Made in France'.
Hypernyms
Meaning 8
Communicate or express nonverbally; "What does this painting say?"; "Did his face say anything about how he felt?".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- Her smile said a lot more than her words ever could about how happy she was.
- His eyes said it all when he saw his name on the award list.
- The landscape painting seemed to say that life was full of ups and downs.
- The cluttered room said a lot about the owner's careless nature.
- The bouquet of flowers said more about his apologies than any words ever could.
Meaning 9
Have or contain a certain wording or form; "The passage reads as follows"; "What does the law say?".
Classification
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations.
Examples
- The sign at the door says visitors are not allowed after 5pm.
- What does the recipe say for the baking time.
- The document contradicts what the memo says about the deadline.
- The noticeboard reads the company is hiring new employees starting next month but does not say where they will be working.
- The email says you will receive a confirmation message after submitting your application.
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Hypernyms
Meaning 10
Recite or repeat a fixed text; "Say grace"; "She said her `Hail Mary'".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- Before dinner, my grandmother says a blessing to give thanks for the meal.
- The priest asked the congregation to say the Lord's Prayer together in unison.
- She said her daily affirmation in front of the mirror every morning to boost her confidence.
- In this Buddhist tradition, the monks say their evening mantra at sundown.
- The rabbi began the ceremony by saying the Shema, a sacred Jewish prayer.
Related Words
Meaning 11
State as one's opinion or judgement; declare; "I say let's forget this whole business".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- I say it's high time we took a break and went on vacation.
- She says the new policy is a step in the right direction.
- I say going to the beach sounds like a great idea for the weekend.
- He says we should just forget about it and move on with our lives.
- My grandma says homemade cookies are always better than store-bought ones.