spoken word
/ˈspoʊkən wɜːrd/
CommonPoetry or storytelling performed aloud, using voice, rhythm, and delivery as part of the art.
Broader than slam poetry. Can be competitive or not. The label matters to practitioners who see it as a distinct art form separate from both rap and traditional poetry.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | she does spoken word and every time she performs i stop breathing for like 3 minutes | The person is a compelling, emotionally powerful spoken word performer. | x, 2023 |
| 02 | found a spoken word piece from 2009 that still makes me cry. some things don't age. | A recorded or written performance piece that remains emotionally resonant years later. | tumblr, 2024 |
| 03 | not enough people know that spoken word and rap come from the same roots | Pointing out the shared cultural and artistic lineage of spoken word and hip-hop. | reddit, 2022 |
| 04 | wrote a spoken word piece about my commute and performed it at open mic. small crowd, big response. | A short personal piece got an outsized reaction at a live event. | instagram, 2023 |
Use it when
- Describing a poem or piece designed to be performed out loud.
- Talking about the art form or the broader cultural scene.
- Distinguishing performed poetry from page poetry.
- Referring to a performance at an open mic or arts event.
Do not use it when
- You mean a competitive poetry event specifically.Use “slam-poetry” instead.
- You just mean someone talking a lot.
Spoken word vs slam poetry
spoken word
Spoken word is any performance poetry, with no competition required.
VS
slam-poetry
Slam poetry is specifically a competitive format with audience scoring.
Origin and context
Rooted in oral tradition and African-American performance poetry movements of the 1960s and 1970s, including the work of The Last Poets and Gil Scott-Heron. Formalized as a genre alongside slam poetry in the 1980s.
- First seen
- 1960s
- Confidence
- medium
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/spoken-wordUpdated: 2026-08-29License: CC BY 4.0