say
verb (used with object)
to utter or pronounce; speak.
say
1 American
[sey]
/ seɪ /
verb (used with object)
said,
saying
-
to utter or pronounce; speak.
What did you say? I said “Hello!”
-
to express in words; state; declare; word.
Say it clearly and simply. It's hard to know how to say this tactfully.
-
to state as an opinion or judgment.
I say her plan is the better one.
-
to be certain, precise, or assured about; determine.
It is hard to say what is wrong.
-
to recite or repeat.
to say one's prayers.
-
to report or allege; maintain.
People say he will resign.
-
to express (a message, viewpoint, etc.), as through a literary or other artistic medium.
a writer with something to say.
-
to indicate or show.
What does your watch say?
-
to assume as a hypothesis or estimate.
Let's say, for the sake of argument, that it's true.
verb (used without object)
said,
saying
adverb
-
It's, say, 14 feet long.
-
for example.
If you serve, say tuna fish and potato chips, it will cost much less.
noun
-
what a person says or has to say.
-
the right or opportunity to speak, decide, or exercise influence.
to have one's say in choosing the candidate.
-
a turn to say something.
It is now my say.
interjection
idioms
say
2
American
[sey]
/ seɪ /
verb (used with object)
say
3
American
[sey]
/ seɪ /
noun
Say
4
American
[sey]
/ seɪ /
noun
-
Jean Baptiste 1767–1832, French economist.
-
Thomas, 1787–1834, U.S. entomologist.
say
1
British
/ seɪ /
verb
-
to speak, pronounce, or utter
-
(also intr) to express (an idea) in words; tell
we asked his opinion but he refused to say
-
(also intr; may take a clause as object) to state (an opinion, fact, etc) positively; declare; affirm
-
to recite
to say grace
-
(may take a clause as object) to report or allege
they say we shall have rain today
-
(may take a clause as object) to take as an assumption; suppose
let us say that he is lying
-
(may take a clause as object) to convey by means of artistic expression
the artist in this painting is saying that we should look for hope
-
to make a case for
there is much to be said for either course of action
-
(usually passive) to persuade or coax (someone) to do something
If I hadn't been said by her, I wouldn't be in this fix
-
to be so obvious as to need no explanation
-
informal an exclamation of surprise
-
even; and indeed
-
in other words; more explicitly
-
as well as; even disregarding
he was warmly dressed in a shirt and heavy jumper, to say nothing of a thick overcoat
-
without the slightest exaggeration; at the very least
adverb
-
approximately
there were, say, 20 people present
-
for example
choose a number, say, four
noun
-
the right or chance to speak
let him have his say
-
authority, esp to influence a decision
he has a lot of say in the company's policy
-
a statement of opinion
you've had your say, now let me have mine
interjection
say
2
British
/ seɪ /
noun
say
More Idioms
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of say1
First recorded before 900; Middle English seyen, seggen, Old English secgan; cognate with Dutch zeggen, German sagen, Old Norse segja; akin to saw 3
Origin of say2
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English saien, sayen, shortening of assaien, assayen to assay
Origin of say3
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English sai(e), a kind of serge, from Old French saie, saye “long-skirted coat,” from Medieval Latin saia, sagum, a kind of cloth, from Latin saga, plural of sagum “coarse woolen cloak, soldier's cloak,” from Gaulish sogom
Explanation
To have your say means to get an opportunity to deliver your opinion on something. If you're at a loud and hostile town council meeting, you might not get a chance to have your say unless you shout it. Say means to speak, so any time you utter a word, you're saying it. If you write an editorial about dogs in the paper, that's also a form of saying. Someone could quote you as saying "dogs should be worshipped." You can say something with your body language, too. Like most common words, say is very old, coming from the Old English sęcgan, meaning "to tell."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
There came a point where it felt like the polite thing to do was say, “Well, thank you so much for looking! It clearly isn’t here, and that’s OK. I appreciate you trying.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
They say practice makes perfect, but for some athletes that means more than just training to be as fast as possible.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
For investors enthralled by soaring corporate profits, headlines about the painful consequences from climate change are largely just background noise, experts say.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
Management expects PC shipments to fall around 15% and smartphone shipments to decline around 20% in 2H, with commercial PCs showing more resilience than consumer, the analysts say.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
“I know! You’re headlining at major concert venues all over the world. I completely get that. I’m gonna start in New York and work my way around the globe,” I say.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
Say that whole name out loud, and say it with pride.
From Slate ● Aug. 14, 2026
In a landscape littered with teenage dysfunction, “Don’t Say Good Luck” is a moving argument for aspirational television.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
The classical musician has performed for the royal family, popes and many US presidents, and is famed for hits such as Time To Say Goodbye and The Prayer.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
Another question featured on the Say platform, represented by 5.2 million shares and 492 votes, asks Tesla to detail the “main constraints” to expanding robotaxi operations.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026
“First,” said Mr. Jaggers, “you should have some new clothes to come in, and they should not be working-clothes. Say this day week. You’ll want some money. Shall I leave you twenty guineas?”
From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens
“We’d literally just run at each other,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
“The intersection with state actors is particularly worrisome,” Daub said.
From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026
Parsons explained that the extra cost was being reinvested back into the stadium to increase the fan experience but said he appreciated people's frustrations.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
“Please don’t do that to Graham,” Annie said, knowing about my boyfriend’s and my decision around marriage and clearly disapproving of the style of the dress.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
“I had really bad cramps that day, and Mrs. Bicker said I didn’t have to hand anything in.”
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
Fabregas expressed his gratitude for the work the county sheriff’s search and rescue team was conducting, saying, “That just makes you feel better that we’re going to, we’re going to find her soon.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
Shareholders are claiming the pop star failed to fulfil promises that she would be "actively building" the brand, saying her "abject dereliction of her duties" has left the company in a "state of financial calamity".
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
Farage did not attend the results, saying Essex Police had warned him that an "organised campaign to disrupt and degrade the result" was planned.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
“The pro-slavery factions were picking on specific verses like ‘slaves obey your masters’ and saying, ‘Well, we’re clearly advancing the more biblical society because look, the Bible says exactly what we’re doing,’” Coffman said.
From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026
Then a blur seemed to move over the scene, for Karel was saying, “Corrie, I want you to meet my fiancée.”
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
