sez: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low (as a written form)Very informal, colloquial, humorous, or eye dialect. Generally not used in standard writing.
Quick answer
What does “sez” mean?
A colloquial or eye dialect spelling of the third person singular present form of the verb 'say' ('says'). It represents a common pronunciation.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A colloquial or eye dialect spelling of the third person singular present form of the verb 'say' ('says'). It represents a common pronunciation.
Used in writing to indicate informal or non-standard speech, often with connotations of sarcasm, disbelief, or a folksy/direct manner. Can also appear in song lyrics, cartoons, and memes.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Used similarly in both varieties. Historically slightly more associated with American cartoons/comics (e.g., 'Popeye'), but understood globally.
Connotations
Implies a blunt, uneducated, or working-class speaker; or used for humorous/stylistic effect. Can signal direct, no-nonsense speech.
Frequency
Rare in edited text, but appears in quoted speech, social media, and informal digital communication in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “sez” in a Sentence
[Speaker] sez (that) + clause[Speaker] sez + quoted speechVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “sez” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- 'Meet me at the pub,' he sez.
- She just sez whatever comes into her head.
American English
- 'That ain't right,' he sez.
- The boss sez we can leave early.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Never appropriate.
Academic
Never appropriate, except in linguistic analysis of dialect.
Everyday
Only in extremely casual written communication (texts, memes) to mimic speech.
Technical
Not used.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sez”
- Using 'sez' in formal writing.
- Confusing it with 'says' pronounced /seɪz/.
- Capitalizing it as a proper noun.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a non-standard, eye-dialect spelling of the word 'says', used to represent informal pronunciation. It is not considered part of standard English orthography.
Almost never in formal contexts. It can be used stylistically in creative writing (e.g., dialogue), cartoons, memes, or very casual digital messages to mimic a specific way of talking.
It is pronounced exactly like the common pronunciation of 'says' (/sɛz/), rhyming with 'fez', not like 'says' (/seɪz/). The spelling just makes this pronunciation explicit.
It's a fixed, idiomatic expression showing sarcastic doubt or disagreement with what someone has just said. It means 'That's just your opinion, and I don't believe it.'
A colloquial or eye dialect spelling of the third person singular present form of the verb 'say' ('says'). It represents a common pronunciation.
Sez is usually very informal, colloquial, humorous, or eye dialect. generally not used in standard writing. in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “"Sez you!" (expression of sarcastic disbelief)”
- “"Sez who?" (challenging authority)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a comic strip character with a speech bubble: 'Z' looks like a snore, but here it's lazy talk for 'SAYS' -> SEZ.
Conceptual Metaphor
SPEECH IS INFORMAL WRITING (Using non-standard spelling to represent casual or accented speech).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'sez' be MOST appropriate?