Meaning & use
speak your mind
Last updated
UK/ˌspiːk jɔː ˈmaɪnd/
US/ˌspiːk jɔːr ˈmaɪnd/
Meaning
phraseidiom
To say honestly and openly what you really think, even if others may not like it.
Grammar: Your changes with the subject: he speaks his mind, we speak our minds.
Patterns
- speak your mind about something
- not be afraid to speak your mind
She never hesitates to speak her mind in meetings.
Please speak your mind; we want to hear your honest opinion.
He spoke his mind, and some colleagues were upset.
Word forms
| third person singular | speaks your mind |
|---|---|
| past tense | spoke your mind |
| past participle | spoken your mind |
| -ing form | speaking your mind |
Common combinations
- free to speak your mind
- Everyone is free to speak their mind in this group.
- afraid to speak your mind
- Do not be afraid to speak your mind.
- always speaks her mind
- She always speaks her mind, even to the boss.
- speak your mind freely
- You can speak your mind freely here.
- speak your mind about something
- He spoke his mind about the new rules.
Synonyms and how they differ
- be frank
- Stresses honesty and directness, and sounds more neutral and a little more formal.
- say what you think
- Is plainer and is the everyday way to say the same thing.
- be outspoken
- Describes a person who often says strong opinions publicly, as a trait, not a single act.
Opposites
hold your tonguekeep quiet
Word family
Commonly confused: speak your mind or speak up?
speak your mind vs speak up
Speak up means to talk more loudly or to say something, while speak your mind means to give your honest opinion.
Practice
My grandmother always ___ her mind, even if people disagree.
Choose one answer.
The fixed idiom is speak your mind. Tell, say and talk do not form this idiom.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “speak your mind”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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