meaning of speech or address

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Definition of address

 (Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

intransitive verb

Definition of address  (Entry 2 of 2)

• contend (with)
• cope (with)
• grapple (with)
• declamation

tact , address , poise , savoir faire mean skill and grace in dealing with others.

tact implies delicate and considerate perception of what is appropriate.

address stresses dexterity and grace in dealing with new and trying situations and may imply success in attaining one's ends.

poise may imply both tact and address but stresses self-possession and ease in meeting difficult situations.

savoir faire is likely to stress worldly experience and a sure awareness of what is proper or expedient.

Examples of address in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'address.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Middle English adressen "to guide, direct, set in order, mark with a destination," borrowed from Anglo-French adrescer, adresser "to make straight, direct, guide," from a- (going back to Latin ad- ad- ) + drescer, dresser "to direct, put right" — more at dress entry 1

in part derivative of address entry 1 , in part borrowed from Middle French adresce, adresse, noun derivative of adrescer, adresser

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 3a

1539, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Phrases Containing address

• address book
• form / term of address
• forwarding address
• inside address
• keynote address
• mailing address
• postal address
• public address announcer
• public address system
• return address
• State of the Union address

Dictionary Entries Near address

addressable

Cite this Entry

“Address.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/address. Accessed 5 Jun. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of address.

Kids Definition of address  (Entry 2 of 2)

More from Merriam-Webster on address

Nglish: Translation of address for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of address for Arabic Speakers

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[ noun uh - dres , ad -res ; verb uh - dres ]

the president's address on the state of the economy.

Synonyms: lecture , discourse

• a direction as to the intended recipient, written on or attached to a piece of mail.

What is your address when you're in Des Moines?

• manner of speaking to persons; personal bearing in conversation.

to handle a matter with address.

Synonyms: cleverness , adroitness , tact , ingenuity

• a label, as an integer, symbol, or other set of characters, designating a location, register, etc., where information is stored in computer memory.

Her email address ends in “.net,” not “.com.”

He visits that website so often that its complete address comes up whenever he types its first letter into the address bar.

• Government. a request to the executive by the legislature to remove a judge for unfitness.
• Usually addresses. attentions paid by a suitor or lover; courtship .
• Usually Address. the reply to the king's speech in the English Parliament.
• Obsolete. preparation.

verb (used with object)

to address an assembly.

Address the president as “Mr. President.”

He addressed his remarks to the lawyers in the audience.

He addressed himself to the leader.

to address the issues.

to address a letter.

• Commerce. to consign or entrust to the care of another, as agent or factor.

He addressed himself to the task.

• Computers. to direct (data) to a specified memory location in a computer.
• Golf. to take a stance and place the head of the club behind (the ball) preparatory to hitting it.
• Obsolete. to woo; court.
• Archaic. to give direction to; aim.
• Obsolete. to prepare.

verb (used without object)

• to make an appeal.
• to make preparations.
• the conventional form by which the location of a building is described
• the written form of this, as on a letter or parcel, preceded by the name of the person or organization for whom it is intended
• the place at which someone lives
• a speech or written communication, esp one of a formal nature
• skilfulness or tact
• archaic. manner or style of speaking or conversation
• computing a number giving the location of a piece of stored information See also direct access
• government a statement of the opinions or wishes of either or both Houses of Parliament that is sent to the sovereign
• the alignment or position of a part, component, etc, that permits correct assembly or fitting
• usually plural expressions of affection made by a man in courting a woman
• to mark (a letter, parcel, etc) with an address
• to speak to, refer to in speaking, or deliver a speech to

he addressed himself to the chairman

he addressed himself to the task

• to direct (a message, warning, etc) to the attention of
• to consign or entrust (a ship or a ship's cargo) to a factor, merchant, etc
• to adopt a position facing (the ball in golf, a partner in a dance, the target in archery, etc)

chapter 10 addresses the problem of transitivity

• an archaic word for woo

Discover More

Derived forms.

• adˈdresser , noun

Other Words From

• ad·dress·er ad·dres·sor noun
• half-ad·dressed adjective
• pre·ad·dress noun verb (used with object)
• re·ad·dress verb (used with object) readdressed readdressing
• un·ad·dressed adjective
• well-ad·dressed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of address 1

Synonym Study

Example sentences.

About two months ago, however, Lensable tweaked the pop-up and gave customers the option of either giving their email address or texting the brand to receive the discount code.

While there are paid and premium VPNs that are generally more mindful about your privacy, they aren’t anonymous, as they can be linked to your billing address.

Hillary Clinton has a new podcast, Betsy DeVos faces an ethics investigation, and the UN General Assembly begins without addresses from any female leaders.

Alyssa Samek, assistant professor at Cal State Fullerton, says that running is a “mode of public address.”

Only 10 percent of tests administered — 190 — were to people with Mexico addresses.

Many of those who have become cops in New York seem to have ceased to address such minor offenses over the past few days.

“Stay in formation,” a sergeant from the ceremonial unit said over a public address system to the cops along the street.

In his State of the Union address 50 years ago, LBJ laid out his vision for the Great Society.

Left and right think the way to address racial strife is through policy.

Nor do these studies address the structural and systematic issues that contribute to obesity, such as poverty and stress.

Aristide uncovered his head, as though he were about to address a duchess, and smiled at her engagingly.

But, he finally secured the address of a company who would manufacture a book to exceed 300 pages for fifty cents per book.

Truly the flag of Britain was trailing in the mire, or these men would not have dared to address him in that fashion.

Her Majesty passed through the town on the 30th of August, 1852, when an address was presented to her.

His lordship suggested that Garrick should write an address to the audience for the players.

Related Words

Dictionary definition of address

A formal presentation or discourse delivered by a speaker to an audience. "The president delivered a passionate address to the nation, calling for unity and cooperation."

Detailed meaning of address

It is an organized and purposeful communication that aims to convey information, express opinions, persuade, or inspire. An address typically involves a structured and planned delivery, often given on a specific occasion or to a particular group of people. It can take various forms, such as a public speech, a lecture, a keynote address , or a formal presentation. The purpose of an address may vary, ranging from delivering important messages, sharing insights, providing instructions, raising awareness, commemorating events, or celebrating achievements. It is a powerful means of communication that allows the speaker to connect with their audience, convey their thoughts effectively, and influence or engage listeners through the use of language, gestures, and other forms of rhetorical techniques.

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Example sentences containing address

1. The president's address captivated the nation with its inspiring message. 2. Her address at the conference was met with thunderous applause. 3. The CEO's annual address outlined the company's future goals. 4. The professor's address on quantum physics was mind-boggling. 5. I need your email address to send you the presentation. 6. The mayor's address focused on improving local infrastructure.

History and etymology of address

The noun ' address ' in the context of a formal presentation or discourse has an interesting etymology. It originates from the Old French word 'adréez,' which comes from the Latin phrase 'ad directus.' 'Ad' means 'to' or 'toward,' and 'directus' means 'straight' or 'direct.' So, ' address ' originally meant to direct something, like a message or speech, to a particular audience or recipient in a straightforward manner. Over time, it evolved to refer specifically to a formal speech or discourse delivered by a speaker to an audience. Its etymology reflects the notion of directing one's words and thoughts purposefully and directly to the intended recipients during a formal presentation.

Quiz: Find the meaning of address

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Further usage examples of address

1. His address at the wedding brought tears of joy to everyone. 2. The keynote speaker's address left a lasting impression. 3. The commencement address urged graduates to pursue their dreams. 4. Please provide your mailing address for shipping purposes. 5. The address on human rights stirred a global conversation. 6. The minister's address offered hope in challenging times. 7. I can't find the address of that restaurant; let's use GPS. 8. The diplomat's address aimed to foster international cooperation. 9. The comedian's address had the audience in stitches. 10. The CEO's address revealed the company's financial performance. 11. Her address at the rally inspired a sense of unity. 12. The presidential address addressed pressing issues facing the nation. 13. Share your home address so I can send you an invitation. 14. The keynote address at the conference focused on the future of technology and its impact on society. 15. The commencement address inspired graduating students to pursue their dreams and make a difference in the world. 16. The address by the CEO outlined the company's strategic goals and vision for the upcoming year. 17. The guest speaker's address shed light on the importance of environmental conservation and sustainable practices. 18. The politician's address resonated with the crowd, promising positive change and addressing key concerns. 19. The professor's address captivated the audience, delving into the intricacies of quantum mechanics. 20. The memorial address honored the brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives for their country. 21. The teacher's address encouraged students to embrace creativity and think outside the box. 22. The public address system ensured that everyone in the stadium could hear the announcer's messages clearly. 23. The inaugural address of the newly elected mayor outlined the plans for improving the city's infrastructure and public services. 24. The motivational speaker's address inspired the audience to overcome challenges and strive for personal growth.

Quiz categories containing address

Multiple-Choice

Opposite Words

Same/Different

Spelling Bee

communication,delivery,dialogue,monologue,presentation,speech,talk

eb68db_aa95e86885be401e80bcdf435767b63d.mp3

speech, silence, listen, refrain

https://static.wixstatic.com/media/eb68db_7deb1bd10b274eeca38fe2f821b50c0d~mv2.jpg, https://static.wixstatic.com/media/eb68db_c3952e52756542aa8faaaa2b25f9be00~mv2.jpg, https://static.wixstatic.com/media/eb68db_c3952e52756542aa8faaaa2b25f9be00~mv2.jpg

discourse,lecture,oration,sermon,statement

TOEFL 3, Dialogue and Articulation, Conversation and Expression

What is Direct Address in Grammar and Rhetoric?

Communicating straight from a source to an intended audience

• An Introduction to Punctuation
• Direct Address and the Pronoun 'You'
• The Rhetorical Use of 'My Friends' in Direct Address

Direct Address in the Media

Visual forms of direct address, examples of direct address.

• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

In English grammar  and rhetoric , direct address is a construction in which a speaker or writer communicates a message directly to another individual or group of individuals. The person(s) being addressed may be identified by name ,  nickname , the pronoun you , or an expression that's either friendly or unfriendly. Conventionally, the name of the person (or group) being addressed is set off by a comma or a pair of commas.

Direct Address and the Pronoun 'You'

"It is clear that a term of address is always closely linked with the pronoun 'you,' which in itself has vocative qualities. One could say, in fact, that whenever pronominal 'you' is used in direct address, vocative 'you' is implicitly present. The two kinds of 'you' are inextricably bound together, though in an utterance like 'You! What do you think you're doing!' the first 'you' is clearly vocative, where the others are pronominal.

"Pronominal and vocative 'you' differ in their attitudinal marking. The former is neutral, the latter unfriendly. Pronominal 'you' also conforms to normal rules of syntax ; vocative 'you' does not need to do so. Vocative 'you,' finally, allows substitution. In 'You! What do you think you're doing!' vocative 'you' could be replaced by 'darling,' 'John,' 'you stupid fool,' and innumerable other terms of address, all of which could be described as vocative-'you' variants. That point is significant because the corollary of my statement that vocative 'you' is always implicitly present when pronominal 'you' is used in direct address, is that pronominal 'you' is always implicitly present when vocative 'you' is used." —From "A Dictionary of Epithets and Terms of Address" by Leslie Dunkling

The Rhetorical Use of 'My Friends' in Direct Address

" 'My friends,' [Senator] John McCain recently informed a crowd, 'we spent $3 million of your money to study the DNA of bears in Montana.' McCain . . . referred to 'my friends' another 11 times. Is this a doctrine of pre-emptive friendship—immediately declaring crowds won over with an oratorical 'mission accomplished'? Perhaps, but McCain's friending is a strategy that hearkens back to classical rhetoric . Horace's call to 'amici' performed a similar function in ancient Rome, and Tennyson's 1833 poem 'Ulysses' drew upon that tradition for the immortal lines: 'Come, my friends/ 'Tis not too late to seek a newer world.'

"But as a crowd bludgeon in modern political speechmaking, 'my friends' can be laid at the feet of one man: William Jennings Bryan. His famed 1896 'Cross of Gold' speech at the Democratic National Convention (July 9, 1896) invoked the phrase a mind-crushing 10 times." —From "MF'er" by Paul Collins

"[W]e come to the friendship of association, which is certainly the most common meaning of the word 'friend.' Some years ago the comedian Red Skelton impersonated a politician giving a campaign speech. " My friends " he wheezed, "and you are my friends," he quickly sputtered, "and don't tell me you're not my friends, because nobody's going to tell me who my friends are.' Obviously, the friends he was talking about were friends of association, acquaintances where there is little or no affection, or where people interact on some friendly basis." —From "Anatomy of a Friendship" by John M. Reisman

"[In many] contexts, for example, television comedy or commercials, news, and current affairs [programs], ​direct address is the accepted convention, although not everyone has the right to address the viewer directly. Anchorpersons and on-camera reporters may look at the camera but interviewers may not. In chat shows, hosts may use direct address but guests may not. In other words, direct address is a privilege which the media profession has by and large reserved for itself." —From "Moving English: The Visual Language of Film" by Theo van Leeuwen

"[In 'Reading Images,'] Gunther Kress and Theo van Leeuwen note that images in which the gaze is directed at the viewer of the image create 'a visual form of direct address. It acknowledges the viewers explicitly, addressing them with a visual "you."' Kress and van Leeuwen call these images 'demand' images because they demand 'that the viewer enters into some kind of imaginary relation with him or her.' A classic example of the demand image is the Uncle Sam recruiting poster, 'I Want YOU!" —From "Studying Visual Modes of Public Address" by Cara A. Finnegan

" Friends , Romans , countrymen , lend me your ears." —Mark Antony in "Julius Caesar," Act III, Scene II, by William Shakespeare.

"Hey, SpongeBob , can I borrow the cheese bucket?" —Patrick in "SpongeBob SquarePants"

"You've been given a gift, Peter . With great power, comes great responsibility." —Cliff Robertson as Ben Parker in "Spider-Man 2"

" Smokey, my friend, you are entering a world of pain." —John Goodman as Walter Sobchak in "The Big Lebowski"

"Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn!" —Clark Gable as Rhett Butler in "Gone With the Wind"

" Ilsa, I'm no good at being noble, but it doesn't take much to see that the problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. Someday you'll understand that. Now, now... Here's looking at you, kid ." —Humphrey Bogart as Rick Blaine in "Casablanca"

"And you, my father , there on the sad height, Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray. Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light." —From "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" by Dylan Thomas

"' Hey, you old bastard ,' Chick said. 'How you doin'?' Chick came down the final two steps, pushed Tommy aside, grabbed Francis's hand, threw an arm around his shoulder, slapped his back. ' You old bastard ,' Chick said. “Where you been?'" —From "Very Old Bones" by William Kennedy

" You made me love you, I didn't want to do it, I didn't want to do it. You made me want you. And all the time you knew it, I guess you always knew it." —From "You Made Me Love You" by James V. Monaco, lyrics by Joseph McCarthy

• Dunkling, Leslie. "A Dictionary of Epithets and Terms of Address." Routledge, 2008
• Collins, Paul. "MF'er." Salon.com. September 1, 2008
• Reisman, John M. "Anatomy of Friendship." Ardent Media, 1979
• Van Leeuwen, Theo. "Moving English: The Visual Language of Film" in "Redesigning English: New Texts, New Identities." Psychology Press, 1996
• Finnegan, Cara A. "Studying Visual Modes of Public Address" in "The Handbook of Rhetoric and Public Address," edited by Shawn J. Parry-Giles and J. Michael Hogan. Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2010
• Vocative: Definition and Examples
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• Definition and Examples of "Exophora" in English Grammar
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The Gettysburg Address

By: History.com Editors

Updated: March 20, 2023 | Original: August 24, 2010

On November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered remarks, which later became known as the Gettysburg Address, at the official dedication ceremony for the National Cemetery of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania, on the site of one of the bloodiest and most decisive battles of the Civil War. Though he was not the featured orator that day, Lincoln’s brief address would be remembered as one of the most important speeches in American history. In it, he invoked the principles of human equality contained in the Declaration of Independence and connected the sacrifices of the Civil War with the desire for “a new birth of freedom,” as well as the all-important preservation of the Union created in 1776 and its ideal of self-government.

Burying the Dead at Gettysburg

From July 1 to July 3, 1863, the invading forces of General Robert E. Lee ’s Confederate Army clashed with the Army of the Potomac (under its newly appointed leader, General George G. Meade ) in Gettysburg, some 35 miles southwest of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania . Casualties were high on both sides: Out of roughly 170,000 Union and Confederate soldiers, there were 23,000 Union casualties (more than one-quarter of the army’s effective forces) and 28,000 Confederates killed, wounded or missing (more than a third of Lee’s army) in the Battle of Gettysburg . After three days of battle, Lee retreated towards Virginia on the night of July 4. It was a crushing defeat for the Confederacy, and a month later the great general would offer Confederate President Jefferson Davis his resignation; Davis refused to accept it.

Did you know? Edward Everett, the featured speaker at the dedication ceremony of the National Cemetery of Gettysburg, later wrote to Lincoln, "I wish that I could flatter myself that I had come as near to the central idea of the occasion in two hours as you did in two minutes."

As after previous battles, thousands of Union soldiers killed at Gettysburg were quickly buried, many in poorly marked graves. In the months that followed, however, local attorney David Wills spearheaded efforts to create a national cemetery at Gettysburg. Wills and the Gettysburg Cemetery Commission originally set October 23 as the date for the cemetery’s dedication, but delayed it to mid-November after their choice for speaker, Edward Everett, said he needed more time to prepare. Everett, the former president of Harvard College, former U.S. senator and former secretary of state, was at the time one of the country’s leading orators. On November 2, just weeks before the event, Wills extended an invitation to President Lincoln, asking him “formally [to] set apart these grounds to their sacred use by a few appropriate remarks.”

Gettysburg Address: Lincoln’s Preparation

Though Lincoln was extremely frustrated with Meade and the Army of the Potomac for failing to pursue Lee’s forces in their retreat, he was cautiously optimistic as the year 1863 drew to a close. He also considered it significant that the Union victories at Gettysburg and at Vicksburg, under General Ulysses S. Grant , had both occurred on the same day: July 4, the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence .

When he received the invitation to make the remarks at Gettysburg, Lincoln saw an opportunity to make a broad statement to the American people on the enormous significance of the war, and he prepared carefully. Though long-running popular legend holds that he wrote the speech on the train while traveling to Pennsylvania, he probably wrote about half of it before leaving the White House on November 18, and completed writing and revising it that night, after talking with Secretary of State William H. Seward , who had accompanied him to Gettysburg.

The Historic Gettysburg Address

On the morning of November 19, Everett delivered his two-hour oration (from memory) on the Battle of Gettysburg and its significance, and the orchestra played a hymn composed for the occasion by B.B. French. Lincoln then rose to the podium and addressed the crowd of some 15,000 people. He spoke for less than two minutes, and the entire speech was fewer than 275 words long. Beginning by invoking the image of the founding fathers and the new nation, Lincoln eloquently expressed his conviction that the Civil War was the ultimate test of whether the Union created in 1776 would survive, or whether it would “perish from the earth.” The dead at Gettysburg had laid down their lives for this noble cause, he said, and it was up to the living to confront the “great task” before them: ensuring that “government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

The essential themes and even some of the language of the Gettysburg Address were not new; Lincoln himself, in his July 1861 message to Congress, had referred to the United States as “a democracy–a government of the people, by the same people.” The radical aspect of the speech, however, began with Lincoln’s assertion that the Declaration of Independence–and not the Constitution–was the true expression of the founding fathers’ intentions for their new nation. At that time, many white slave owners had declared themselves to be “true” Americans, pointing to the fact that the Constitution did not prohibit slavery; according to Lincoln, the nation formed in 1776 was “dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” In an interpretation that was radical at the time–but is now taken for granted–Lincoln’s historic address redefined the Civil War as a struggle not just for the Union, but also for the principle of human equality.

Gettysburg Address Text

The full text of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address is as follows:

"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

"Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

"But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Gettysburg Address: Public Reaction & Legacy

On the day following the dedication ceremony, newspapers all over the country reprinted Lincoln’s speech along with Everett’s. Opinion was generally divided along political lines, with Republican journalists praising the speech as a heartfelt, classic piece of oratory and Democratic ones deriding it as inadequate and inappropriate for the momentous occasion.

In the years to come, the Gettysburg Address would endure as arguably the most-quoted, most-memorized piece of oratory in American history. After Lincolns’ assassination in April 1865, Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts wrote of the address, “That speech, uttered at the field of Gettysburg…and now sanctified by the martyrdom of its author, is a monumental act. In the modesty of his nature he said ‘the world will little note, nor long remember what we say here; but it can never forget what they did here.’ He was mistaken. The world at once noted what he said, and will never cease to remember it.”

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What is an inaugural address.

Presidents of the United States deliver a plethora of speeches during their time in office. One of the most important of them all is the inaugural address. What is an inaugural address? What is the intention of the speech, why is it so significant, and how can the President be sure to get it right? 

What is an inaugural address?

The inaugural address is the speech delivered by the President following their Oath of Office. It is a chance to speak directly to the nation and provide a clear message about the four years ahead. When well-crafted and delivered effectively, it can give the President a positive start to their first term .

Delivering an Address During an Inauguration

The inaugural address is a massive moment in the long inauguration process. There is a grand ceremony on the western front of the United States Capitol where the President and Vice President are sworn into office to begin the new term. After the oath at noon, the new President delivers their speech to the nation. 

The position of the ceremony allows the President to speak to hundreds of guests in attendance, but also thousands lining the National Mall and the millions watching on TV worldwide. It is no surprise that there is a lot of pressure to get the speech just right. 

Everything from the structure and length of the speech to the tone and eloquence of the delivery falls under a microscope. People will judge the new President based on these words, especially those that voted for the other guy. So, each speech must be bipartisan, inspiring, perfectly composed, and just the right length. 

The Length of an Inaugural Address

There is no specific length for an inaugural address. Presidents can make theirs as long or as short as they want. Some choose the former to make the most of their time and say all they need to say, while others keep it short and sweet. 

President George Washington’s second inaugural address was a good example of keeping things short. As the only person to hold office, there was no precedent in place or any expectation for a long speech and drawn-out speech. So, he said just 135 words, repeated the oath, and returned to work. 

Over the decades, the speech has become a more symbolic moment in the ceremony, with greater expectations over the message and length. When Washington’s Vice President , John Adams, won his election, he delivered a speech of 2308 words – including one 737-word sentence. The longest ever came from William Henry Harrison , with an 8,445-word address in the pouring rain. 

Quality Over Quantity Helps With a Good Inaugural Address

The length of a speech is nowhere near as important as the message within. We will probably forget how long we spent waiting for a speech to end but will share quotes and videos from a good speech for a long time. So, each new President has to ensure that they set out their goals and principles in an appropriately presidential manner without going too far. 

Franklin D Roosevelt was a good example of one who knew when to keep things short and to the point. His fourth address did not overstay its welcome at just 559 words. By this point, the nation knew the man and his ideals as he had been elected to a historic fourth term. On top of that, Roosevelt was keen to keep things simple with a basic ceremony at the White House due to America’s involvement in World War II. 

Creating a Strong Bipartisan Address

An inauguration marks a new chapter in the nation’s history, so it makes sense for the President to highlight this after taking the oath. Some will reflect on the chance to make improvements for the nation or to lead them out of times of trouble. Others will reaffirm their desire to continue their hard work and dedication for a second term. 

Ideally, these speeches should be bipartisan. This isn’t a time to talk down to the opposition in victory or to talk about all the ways a previous administration failed the nation. Doing so runs the risk of causing a divide in the crowds of people watching – either at the National Mall or on TV. 

President Joe Biden’s 2021 address is a good example of this with its opening lines. “This is America’s day. This is democracy’s day. A day of history and hope. Of renewal and resolve.” This speech set a strong positive tone, whereas his predecessor, Donald Trump’s speech, was criticized for its bleak and dystopian outlook. 

Who Writes the Presidential Inaugural Address?

You might assume that the President is the one to write the speech if it is such an important moment for them to articulate their vision and goals. However, the scale of the occasion and scrutiny of the speech means that this isn’t always the case. In the past, the first presidents undoubtedly did spend hours penning their own speeches, but not today.

The idea of the political speech writer is not such a big deal these days. We know that the White House has a communications team to create important speeches – often with multiple versions depending on a desired tone or outcome. They have been in use since the days of Calvin Coolidge . 

Therefore, it makes sense that this grand public address is another writer’s work. They are typically skilled and trusted members of the President’s team who can take the ideas and references given by the President and spin them into gold. 

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The Inaugural Address Will Always Be an Important Moment in the Presidency

There will always be debate over who created the best or worst inaugural addresses in history. Often, the oratory skills of the man elevate the words into something even more profound. What is clear is that these speeches have great power, and each President must get it just right. Otherwise, the inauguration day address will go into the history books for all the wrong reasons. 

Alicia Reynolds

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Milestone Documents

President John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address (1961)

Citation: Inaugural Address, Kennedy Draft, 01/17/1961; Papers of John F. Kennedy: President's Office Files, 01/20/1961-11/22/1963; John F. Kennedy Library; National Archives and Records Administration.

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View Transcript

On January 20, 1961, President John F. Kennedy delivered his inaugural address in which he announced that "we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and success of liberty."

The inaugural ceremony is a defining moment in a president’s career — and no one knew this better than John F. Kennedy as he prepared for his own inauguration on January 20, 1961. He wanted his address to be short and clear, devoid of any partisan rhetoric and focused on foreign policy.

Kennedy began constructing his speech in late November, working from a speech file kept by his secretary and soliciting suggestions from friends and advisors. He wrote his thoughts in his nearly indecipherable longhand on a yellow legal pad.

While his colleagues submitted ideas, the speech was distinctly the work of Kennedy himself. Aides recounted that every sentence was worked, reworked, and reduced. The meticulously crafted piece of oratory dramatically announced a generational change in the White House. It called on the nation to combat "tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself" and urged American citizens to participate in public service.

The climax of the speech and its most memorable phrase – "Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country" – was honed down from a thought about sacrifice that Kennedy had long held in his mind and had expressed in various ways in campaign speeches.

Less than six weeks after his inauguration, on March 1, President Kennedy issued an executive order establishing the Peace Corps as a pilot program within the Department of State. He envisioned the Peace Corps as a pool of trained American volunteers who would go overseas to help foreign countries meet their needs for skilled manpower. Later that year, Congress passed the Peace Corps Act, making the program permanent.

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Vice President Johnson, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chief Justice, President Eisenhower, Vice President Nixon, President Truman, Reverend Clergy, fellow citizens:

We observe today not a victory of party but a celebration of freedom--symbolizing an end as well as a beginning--signifying renewal as well as change. For I have sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forbears prescribed nearly a century and three-quarters ago.

The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe--the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God.

We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution. Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans--born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage--and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world.

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.

This much we pledge--and more.

To those old allies whose cultural and spiritual origins we share, we pledge the loyalty of faithful friends. United there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided there is little we can do--for we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder.

To those new states whom we welcome to the ranks of the free, we pledge our word that one form of colonial control shall not have passed away merely to be replaced by a far more iron tyranny. We shall not always expect to find them supporting our view. But we shall always hope to find them strongly supporting their own freedom--and to remember that, in the past, those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside.

To those people in the huts and villages of half the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is required--not because the communists may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right. If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.

To our sister republics south of our border, we offer a special pledge--to convert our good words into good deeds--in a new alliance for progress--to assist free men and free governments in casting off the chains of poverty. But this peaceful revolution of hope cannot become the prey of hostile powers. Let all our neighbors know that we shall join with them to oppose aggression or subversion anywhere in the Americas. And let every other power know that this Hemisphere intends to remain the master of its own house.

To that world assembly of sovereign states, the United Nations, our last best hope in an age where the instruments of war have far outpaced the instruments of peace, we renew our pledge of support--to prevent it from becoming merely a forum for invective--to strengthen its shield of the new and the weak--and to enlarge the area in which its writ may run.

Finally, to those nations who would make themselves our adversary, we offer not a pledge but a request: that both sides begin anew the quest for peace, before the dark powers of destruction unleashed by science engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction.

We dare not tempt them with weakness. For only when our arms are sufficient beyond doubt can we be certain beyond doubt that they will never be employed.

But neither can two great and powerful groups of nations take comfort from our present course--both sides overburdened by the cost of modern weapons, both rightly alarmed by the steady spread of the deadly atom, yet both racing to alter that uncertain balance of terror that stays the hand of mankind's final war.

So let us begin anew--remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.

Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring those problems which divide us.

Let both sides, for the first time, formulate serious and precise proposals for the inspection and control of arms--and bring the absolute power to destroy other nations under the absolute control of all nations.

Let both sides seek to invoke the wonders of science instead of its terrors. Together let us explore the stars, conquer the deserts, eradicate disease, tap the ocean depths and encourage the arts and commerce.

Let both sides unite to heed in all corners of the earth the command of Isaiah--to "undo the heavy burdens . . . (and) let the oppressed go free."

And if a beachhead of cooperation may push back the jungle of suspicion, let both sides join in creating a new endeavor, not a new balance of power, but a new world of law, where the strong are just and the weak secure and the peace preserved.

All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days, nor in the life of this Administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.

In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course. Since this country was founded, each generation of Americans has been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty. The graves of young Americans who answered the call to service surround the globe.

Now the trumpet summons us again--not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need--not as a call to battle, though embattled we are-- but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, "rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation"--a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease and war itself.

Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North and South, East and West, that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort?

In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility--I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it--and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.

And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country.

My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.

Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us here the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own.

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Meaning of address – Learner’s Dictionary

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address noun [C] ( BUILDING DETAILS )

• Once I've found somewhere to live , I'll send you my new address.
• Please print your name and address clearly using capitals .
• Will you give me her address?
• Her address was 57 Park Crescent .
• Please give your name , address and date of birth .

address noun [C] ( ELECTRONIC )

Address noun [c] ( speech ), address verb [t] ( building details ), address verb [t] ( deal with ), address verb [t] ( speak ).

(Definition of address from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Translations of address

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Word of the Day

aerobic exercise

Aerobic exercise improves the body's ability to use oxygen.

Keeping up appearances (Talking about how things seem)

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Sen. John Fetterman dramatically whips off Harvard hood at Yeshiva University commencement: ‘Profoundly disappointed’

S en. John Fetterman told Yeshiva University graduates Wednesday that he was “profoundly disappointed” in Harvard University’s inability to address antisemitism on campus before removing the ceremonial crimson academic hood representing his alma mater.

The Pennsylvania Democrat expressed his disapproval with the Ivy League school during his commencement address for the private Orthodox Jewish university, which bestowed him with its “Hero of Israel” award, the institution’s highest honor. 

“I have been profoundly disappointed [in] Harvard’s inability to stand up for the Jewish community after Oct. 7,” Fetterman, 54, told the new grads at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens. 

“Personally, I do not fundamentally believe that it is right for me to wear this today,” the senator added as he removed the Harvard hood, identifying him as an alum, from around his neck. 

Fetterman, a staunch supporter of Israel’s war against Hamas, received a standing ovation after the symbolic gesture. 

“The Jewish community everywhere deserves our support,” he added. “And I promise you will always have mine.” 

Fetterman’s remarks were well received, and he was spotted dancing with students and school leaders after delivering his speech. 

Former Harvard University President Claudine Gay faced a firestorm of criticism in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on the Jewish state over her failure to criticize 30 Harvard student groups that published a letter holding Israel “entirely responsible” for Hamas’ deadly rampage. 

Gay then appeared before Congress on Dec. 5, where she refused to say that anyone calling for the genocide of Jewish people at the university would be punished.  

Harvard faculty members stood behind Gay at the time, releasing a letter which called on the administration to not to bow to political pressure. 

Gay resigned as president in January following unrelated plagiarism allegation , but remains on the faculty as a professor of government and African and African American studies.

Fetterman received his undergraduate degree in 1991 from Albright College in Pennsylvania and obtained an MBA from the University of Connecticut in 1993.

The senator graduated from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government in 1999 with a Master of Public Policy degree. He has previously said that he doesn’t “recognize” the school as the same place he once attended. 

“As an alum of Harvard — look, I graduated 25 years ago, and of course, it was always a little pinko,” he told Semafor in January. “But now, I don’t recognize it.”

Last month, Fetterman endorsed former Massachusetts governor and current Utah Republican Sen. Mitt Romney to take over the presidency at Harvard , which is currently being held on an interim basis by Alan Garver, the university’s former provost.

Trump press conference livestream: Watch as former president discusses conviction

One day after he was found guilty on all 34 counts in his New York criminal  hush money trial , former President Donald Trump is expected to give a press conference Friday morning.

USA TODAY is providing live coverage of Trump's press conference, which is scheduled to begin Friday at 11 a.m. ET in Trump Tower. You can watch live at the embedded video live at the top of the page or on USA TODAY's YouTube channel .

Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, was found guilty by a jury Thursday of falsifying business records to hide a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election. He is the first former U.S. president to be convicted of a crime.

Donald Trump's guilty verdict: How will it hit his reelection bid? Is his political fallout here?

“This is just a disgrace,”  Trump told reporters  in the hallway outside the courtroom after he was convicted. “We didn’t do anything wrong. I’m an innocent man.”

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

It was the closure to a more-than six weeks-long trial, the first criminal trial in U.S. history against a former president.

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US defense secretary says war with China neither imminent nor unavoidable, stressing need for talks

U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said a war or fight with China was neither “imminent” nor “unavoidable” when he spoke at the Shangri-La Dialogue defence forum in Singapore on Saturday. (AP video by Syawalludin Zain)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived on Saturday at a gathering of top security officials in Singapore. (AP video by Syawalludin Zain)

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin looks on during the Shangri-La Dialogue summit at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

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China’s Defense Minister Dong Jun, left, listens to the opening speech of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during opening ceremony for the 21st Shangri-La Dialogue summit at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore Friday, May 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers his opening speech for the 21st Shangri-La Dialogue summit at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore Friday, May 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin speaks during the Shangri-La Dialogue summit at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Japan’s Defense Minister Minoru Kihara, left, and Cambodia’s Defense Minister Tea Seiha, right, attend the Shangri-La Dialogue summit at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Indonesia’s president-elect Prabowo Subianto attends the opening ceremony for the 21st Shangri-La Dialogue summit at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore Friday, May 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles speaks during the 21st Shangri-La Dialogue summit at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Japan’s Defense Minister Minoru Kihara attends the Shangri-La Dialogue summit at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, center, arrives at a hotel, the venue of the 21st Shangri-La Dialogue summit at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, center, arrives at a hotel, the venue of the 21st Shangri-La Dialogue summit, at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

SINGAPORE (AP) — United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told a gathering of top security officials Saturday that war with China was neither imminent nor unavoidable, despite rapidly escalating tensions in the Asia-Pacific region , stressing the importance of renewed dialogue between him and his Chinese counterpart in avoiding “miscalculations and misunderstandings.”

Austin’s comments at the Shangri-La defense forum in Singapore came the day after he met for more than an hour on the sidelines with Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun, the first in-person meeting between the top defense officials since contacts between the American and Chinese militaries broke down in 2022 after then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, infuriating Beijing .

Neither side budged from their longstanding positions on Taiwan — which China claims as its own and has not ruled out using force to take — and on China’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea, which has led to direct confrontations between China and other nations in the region, most notably the Philippines.

While declining to detail the specifics of their conversation, Austin said the most important thing was that the two were again talking.

“As long as we’re talking, we’re able to identify those issues that are troublesome and that we want to make sure that we have placed guardrails to ensure there are no misperceptions and no miscalculations … that can spiral out of control,” he said.

“You can only do that kind of thing if you are talking.”

Addressing the same forum on Friday night, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. bluntly outlined what could be at stake, saying that if a Filipino were killed as China confronts his country’s coast guard and merchant fleet to press its claims in the South China Sea, it would be “very, very close to what we define as an act of war and therefore we will respond accordingly.”

Marcos added that he assumed the Philippines’ treaty partners, which include the U.S. , “hold the same standard.”

In his own speech, Austin lauded how Marcos “spoke so powerfully last night about how the Philippines is standing up for its sovereign rights under international law.” But when pressed later, he would not say how the U.S. might react if a Filipino were killed in a confrontation with China, calling it hypothetical.

He did say the U.S. commitment to the Philippines as a treaty partner is “ironclad,” while again stressing the importance of dialogue with China.

“There are a number of things that can happen at sea or in the air, we recognize that,” he said. “But our goal is to make sure that we don’t allow things to spiral out of control unnecessarily.”

Dong was to speak to the conference himself Sunday morning. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has been pushing for more air defense systems from Western allies, arrived unannounced on Saturday evening and will take part in a panel discussion on Sunday.

Beijing in recent years has been rapidly expanding its navy and is becoming growingly assertive in pressing its claim to virtually the entire South China Sea .

Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles noted that not only had Philippine ships been rammed and hit with water cannons by China, but said a Chinese warplane dropped flares above an Australian helicopter earlier in the year, and in November a Chinese navy ship injured Australian divers in Japanese waters with sonar.

“In the face of these multiple sources of tension, it’s even more imperative that every country plays its part in managing increasing strategic risk,” he said.

In his own meeting with Dong, Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara expressed “serious concerns” about China’s increasing military activities in the sea and airspace around Japan, including joint exercises with Russia, the Japanese Defense Ministry said in a statement.

To counter the Chinese activity, the U.S. has been ramping up military exercises in the region with its allies to underscore its “free and open Indo-Pacific” concept, meant to emphasize freedom of navigation through the contested waters, including the Taiwan Strait.

Chinese Senior Col. Cao Yanzhong, a researcher at China’s Institute of War Studies, asked Austin whether the U.S. was trying to create an Asian version of NATO with its emphasis on partnerships and alliances, a common Chinese claim. He suggested that could trigger conflict with China, citing ally Russia’s claim that NATO’s eastward expansion was a threat, which President Vladimir Putin has used as an excuse for his invasion of Ukraine .

“The eastern expansion of NATO has led to the Ukraine crisis,” Cao said. “What implications do you think the strengthening of the U.S. alliance system in the Asia-Pacific will have on this region’s security and stability?”

Austin said the U.S. is simply cooperating with “like-minded countries with similar values” and not trying to create a NATO-type alliance, while rejecting Cao’s interpretation of the cause of the Ukraine war.

“The Ukraine crisis obviously was caused because Putin made a decision to unlawfully invade his neighbor,” Austin said.

Expressing the concerns of some in the region, Indonesian academic Dewi Fortuna Anwar said any de-escalation of tensions “would be very welcome to this part of the world,” but wondered whether the U.S. would allow China’s assertive military posture to grow uncontested if Washington’s main emphasis was now dialogue.

“We are also worried if you guys get too cozy, we also get trampled,” she said.

Austin said that many of those issues were best addressed through talks, but also assured that Washington will continue to ensure that the rights of nations in the region were protected and that they continued to have access to their exclusive economic zones.

“War or a fight with China is neither imminent, in my view, or unavoidable,” Austin said.

“Leaders of great power nations need to continue to work together to ensure that we’re doing things to reduce the opportunities for miscalculation and misunderstandings,” he said. “Every conversation is not going to be a happy conversation, but it is important that we continue to talk to each other. And it is important that we continue to support our allies and partners on their interests as well.”

AP reporter Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed to this report.

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Definition of address noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

• What's your name and address ?
• I'll give you my address and phone number.
• Is that your home address ?
• Please note my change of address .
• There was no return address on the envelope.
• (especially North American English) Each entry must include a valid mailing address .
• (British English usually) a postal address
• Police found him at an address (= a house or flat) in West London.
• people with no fixed address (= with no permanent home)
• She gave a false address to the police.
• I'm afraid there's nobody called Williams at this address.
• Please inform us of any change of address.
• Please leave a contact address.
• Please write your full postal address.
• at an/​the address
• a change of address
• name and address
• no fixed address

Join our community to access the latest language learning and assessment tips from Oxford University Press!

• What's your email address ?
• The project has a new web address.
• tonight’s televised presidential address
• Several people made speeches at the wedding.
• a lecture on the Roman army
• a course/​series of lectures
• a televised presidential address
• She gave an interesting talk on her visit to China.
• to preach a sermon
• a long/​short speech/​lecture/​address/​talk/​sermon
• a keynote speech/​lecture/​address
• to write/​prepare/​give/​deliver/​hear a(n) speech/​lecture/​address/​talk/​sermon
• to attend/​go to a lecture/​talk
• conduct/​hold an election/​a referendum
• (especially North American English) run for office/​election/​governor/​mayor/​president/​the White House
• (especially British English) stand for election/​office/​Parliament/​the Labour Party/​a second term
• hold/​call/​contest a general/​national election
• launch/​run a presidential election campaign
• support/​back a candidate
• sway/​convince/​persuade voters/​the electorate
• appeal to/​attract/​woo/​target (North American English) swing voters/ (British English) floating voters
• fix/​rig/​steal an election/​the vote
• go to/​be turned away from (especially British English) a polling station/ (North American English) a polling place
• cast a/​your vote/​ballot (for somebody)
• vote for the Conservative candidate/​the Democratic party
• mark/​spoil your ballot paper
• count (British English) the postal votes/ (especially North American English) the absentee ballots
• go to/​be defeated at the ballot box
• get/​win/​receive/​lose votes
• get/​win (60% of) the popular/​black/​Hispanic/​Latino/​Muslim vote
• win the election/( in the US ) the primaries/​a seat in Parliament/​a majority/​power
• lose an election/​the vote/​your majority/​your seat
• win/​come to power in a landslide (victory) (= with many more votes than any other party)
• elect/​re-elect somebody (as) mayor/​president/​an MP/​senator/​congressman/​congresswoman
• be sworn into office/​in as president
• take/​administer ( in the US ) the oath of office
• swear/​take ( in the UK ) an/​the oath of allegiance
• give/​deliver ( in the US ) the president’s inaugural address
• take/​enter/​hold/​leave office
• appoint somebody (as) ambassador/​governor/​judge/​minister
• form a government/​a cabinet
• serve two terms as prime minister/​in office
• The union leader gave a short but impassioned public address.
• an address by the Chancellor of the University
• a radio address to the nation
• a public address system
• The Secretary General delivered the keynote address at the conference.
• He gave details of the policy in an address to party members.
• commencement
• in an/​the address
• [uncountable] form/mode of address the correct title, etc. to use when you talk to somebody

Other results

• the Farewell Address
• the Gettysburg Address
• address bars
• address books
• Farewell Address
• Gettysburg Address
• public address systems

Nearby words