bespeak

verb

bi-ˈspēk How to pronounce bespeak (audio)
Definition of bespeaknext
1
as in to book
to arrange to have something (as a hotel room) held for one's future use bespoke the rental car weeks in advance of their trip

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in to reveal
to make known (something abstract) through outward signs her expression throughout the meeting bespoke great boredom

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to seek
to make a request for milady bespoke our indulgence, inviting us to wait in the foyer while she attended to other matters

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to indicate
to serve as a sign or symptom of her impressive virtuosity as a pianist bespeaks years of diligent practice

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bespeak Trump’s outbursts bespoke the frustration of a thoroughly incompetent ruler who began a war with no plan for how to conduct or conclude it and was unprepared for Iran’s resistance. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2026 Planning and thievery on this scale bespeaks a ring of metal poaching. — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026 Known for its delicate texture and plain looks, this pie bespeaks old-school Southern class and charm. — Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 10 Mar. 2026 The cockpit is not ostentatious but is very comfortable, with high-quality materials that bespeak Mazda’s near-luxury intentions for this vehicle, including lots of padded surfaces, high-quaity switchgear, and contrasting stitching. — Dale Buss, Forbes.com, 7 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bespeak
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bespeak
  1. book
  2. reveal
  3. seek
  4. indicate
  5. display
  6. request
  7. mean
  8. show
Verb
  • Bevin was booked at Louisville Metro Corrections later in the evening after the arrest, according to jail records.
    — Lucas Aulbach, Louisville Courier Journal, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The woman, Antonieta Sanchez, 53, of Redlands, was booked into the Southwest Detention Center on suspicion of felony vandalism and brandishing a weapon, Vickers wrote in an email.
    — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of book
Verb
  • With Howe stepping down and Matthias Jaissle, the 38-year-old German, replacing him, and with plans finally revealed for a new £190m training ground, Newcastle have embraced the shock of the new.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Very little has been revealed about The Batman Part II‘s plot.
    — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of reveal
Verb
  • The revelation of the changes comes amid intense competition in the AI industry, as companies release updates to their large language models at a frenetic pace, each seeking to pull ahead of the other.
    — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The department has sued 29 states seeking similar information and has lost in 23 of its cases so far, while many remain under appeal.
    — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of seek
Verb
  • Meteorologists said the majority of model guidance does not indicate a credible hurricane threat to California during the second week of September.
    — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • An internal company memo from around the time of the recovery mission — also obtained by CNBC — indicates Coupang coordinated the computer recovery at the behest of a high-ranking national security officer from the South Korean president’s office.
    — Justin Papp, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of indicate
Verb
  • Aggregators and Suppliers Are Not the Same Thing A car rental aggregator is a platform that searches and displays inventory from multiple rental suppliers, allowing travelers to compare rates across dozens of providers at once.
    — Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Anyone displaying such pedestrian tastes would immediately be expelled from the room.
    — David Denby, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of display
Verb
  • Sustained gunfire began past midnight at the premises of the Diori Hamani International Airport, which hosts a major military base, according to an AP witness who requested anonymity for safety reasons.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The group requested agreements among MPEA, arena operator Oak View Group, the Chicago Sky and the WNBA.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of request
Verb
  • Sure, pedicures get more playtime over the summer, but that doesn’t mean your toes don’t deserve the same attention once temperatures drop.
    — Marianne Mychaskiw, Allure, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Max leaves less than three hours before the new charter’s arrival, which means that Sandy is immediately on the phone with Norma from Yachting Staffing.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of mean
Verb
  • In the comments of an Instagram upload from Bustle, which also showed Stoermer’s Stories post, fans expressed their disappointment with Euphoria‘s conclusion in the comments.
    — Hannah Malach, InStyle, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Judge Tony Graf found that state prosecutors had shown probable cause, allowing the case to advance to trial.
    — Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of show

Browse Nearby Words

bespatters
bespeak
bespeaking
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bespeak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bespeak. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All