There are many synonyms for talking, from chat and say to mumble, rant, and whisper, and each one adds its own shade of meaning. Below you find 50 of them, each with a short explanation, so you can pick the word that describes a scene best.
Your readers get bored if you use the same word over and over to describe something. This is where a thesaurus comes in handy. Instead of using the same expression in every sentence, mix it up with words that mean nearly the same but carry different nuances. For another everyday verb, see these synonyms for "to walk".
The words below all describe speaking, but each has a slightly different meaning or mood. When you write a story and describe what your characters do, choose the word that fits best instead of letting them talk to each other all the time.
One exception: in dialogue, a plain said is often the best choice, because readers hardly notice it. Keep the more colorful verbs for the moments when the way something is said really matters. Tips for writing dialogue has more on this.
Synonyms for talking
- argue: to give reasons for your point of view; to disagree, often in an angry way
- articulate: to speak very clearly; to explain a matter well
- ask: to put a question or request information
- babble: to talk quickly in a way that is hard to understand; to talk a lot about unimportant things
- banter: to talk in a playful, teasing way
- berate: to scold someone angrily
- breathe: to say something very softly
- chat: to have an informal conversation
- chatter: to talk quickly and at length, usually about unimportant things
- confer: to discuss something with others, often to reach a decision
- consult: to ask someone for advice
- converse: to hold a conversation with someone
- cry: to shout or call out loudly; also the sound an animal or a bird makes
- debate: to take part in a formal discussion or argument; to think something over
- disclose: to reveal something that was secret
- discuss: to talk about a subject with someone
- echo: to repeat someone's words, opinion, or idea
- enunciate: to pronounce words clearly
- express: to put a thought or feeling into words
- gossip: to talk about other people's private lives, often unkindly
- holler: to shout or yell to get someone's attention
- imply: to suggest something without saying it directly
- lecture: to give a talk to an audience; to tell someone what to do in a long and condescending way
- mouth: to form words with your lips without making a sound; to say something you do not really mean
- mumble: to speak quietly and unclearly, so that others can hardly hear you
- mutter: to say something in a low voice, often in annoyance
- negotiate: to try to reach an agreement by talking
- orate: to give a formal speech; to talk passionately about something
- preach: to give a sermon; to give moral advice in a way that annoys people
- proclaim: to announce or declare something publicly
- rant: to talk loudly and emotionally, often to complain about something
- remark: to make a comment about something
- repeat: to say something again
- say: to put something into words; to tell something
- scold: to criticize someone angrily
- shout: to call out very loudly, in triumph or pain or to get attention
- shriek: to make a shrill, loud sound
- snarl: to say something in an angry, aggressive way
- spit (out): to say something angrily or with contempt
- spout: to talk at length in a boring or pompous way
- state: to make something known; to declare a fact
- stutter: to speak with repeated sounds and pauses, unable to speak fluently
- tell: to say something to someone; to narrate a story
- utter: to say something; to make any sound with your voice
- verbalize: to put something into words
- vocalize: to use your voice to produce a sound
- whine: to complain in a high, unhappy voice
- whisper: to speak very quietly, using your breath instead of your voice
- yap: to talk loudly and foolishly for a long time, like a small dog barking
- yell: to shout loudly; to argue loudly
Choosing the right word
Many of these words are not interchangeable. Mumble and mutter are both quiet, but a mumbled word is hard to understand, while a muttered word often shows annoyance. Chat and gossip are both informal, but gossip is about other people. Before you swap one word for another, look up its exact meaning in a dictionary. A wrong synonym is worse than a repeated word.