Phrase guide

have a say

verb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To (receive the opportunity to) voice one's opinion.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, intransitive

Examples

  • He didn't have a say in deciding where he and his family would go on vacation.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

17 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: inspraak hebben — to voice one's opinion
  • Dutch: in de melk te brokkelen hebben — to voice one's opinion
  • Finnish: sanoa sanansa — to voice one's opinion
  • French: avoir son mot à dire — to voice one's opinion
  • French: avoir voix au chapitre — to voice one's opinion
  • German: mitreden — to voice one's opinion
  • German: Mitsprache haben — to voice one's opinion
  • German: ein Wörtchen mitzureden haben — to voice one's opinion
  • Italian: avere voce in capitolo — to voice one's opinion
  • Polish: wyrażać opinię — to voice one's opinion
  • Polish: wyrazić opinię — to voice one's opinion
  • Portuguese: ter voto na matéria — to voice one's opinion
  • Romanian: avea un cuvânt de spus — to voice one's opinion
  • Russian: име́ть пра́во го́лоса (imétʹ právo gólosa) — to voice one's opinion
  • Russian: выска́зывать своё мне́ние (vyskázyvatʹ svojó mnénije) — to voice one's opinion
  • Russian: вы́сказать своё мне́ние (výskazatʹ svojó mnénije) — to voice one's opinion
  • Spanish: tener voz y voto — to voice one's opinion