speak too soon

verb

To say something that is then contradicted by events, normally in an unwelcome way.

“Uh-oh, it's started raining again. I spoke too soon when I said the weather was brightening up.”

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Meanings

verbspeak too soon (third-person singular simple present speaks too soon, present participle speaking too soon, simple past spoke too soon, past participle spoken too soon)

present singular third person speaks too soon · participle present speaking too soon · past spoke too soon · participle past spoken too soon

  1. To say something that is then contradicted by events, normally in an unwelcome way.

    Uh-oh, it's started raining again. I spoke too soon when I said the weather was brightening up.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
talk too soon

Translations

Finnish puhua liian hätäisesti, puhua liian aikaisin
  • puhua liian hätäisestiTranslations
  • puhua liian aikaisinTranslations
French parler trop vite
  • parler trop viteTranslations
Polish źle przewidywać, źle przewidzieć
  • źle przewidywaćTranslations
  • źle przewidziećTranslations
  • zapeszaćTranslations
  • zapeszyćTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

speak too soon. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/speak%20too%20soon

MLA

“speak too soon.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/speak%20too%20soon. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “speak too soon,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/speak%20too%20soon.

Source: speak too soon on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.