to say
Express in words
To say is to express in words, either spoken or written.
It's the most neutral verb for reporting speech: She said she'd be late, "I don't care," he said.
Say also introduces opinions or approximations: I'd say we have about an hour.
That is to say introduces clarification.
Say by itself invites someone to consider a hypothetical: Say you had a million dollars—what would you do?
- speakProduce words aloud
- so to speakPhrase signaling loose usage
- tellConvey information verbally
- utterTo vocalize words
- declareState officially
announce · whisper · shout · murmur · state · express · voice · proclaim · assert · mention · remark · claim · articulate · mouth · blurt · mutter · exclaim · pronounce
- infinitivesto be, to do, to go, to make, to get
- verbalsgerund, infinitive, participle, present participle, past participle