Pitch vs. Speech — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on September 25, 2023
Pitch refers to a succinct presentation intended to persuade or sell, while Speech is a formal address or discourse delivered to an audience, often conveying ideas, expressing opinions, or presenting information.
Difference Between Pitch and Speech
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Pitch and Speech, while both related to verbal communication, differ significantly in purpose, structure, and delivery. A Pitch is primarily designed to persuade or sell, focusing on presenting information succinctly and compellingly to convince the audience about the value of a product, service, or idea. It is often concise, targeted, and structured to elicit a positive response or action from the audience, typically investors, customers, or stakeholders. In contrast, a Speech is a more formal, detailed, and often longer discourse, usually intended to inform, entertain, or inspire the audience.
In terms of structure, a Pitch usually follows a problem-solution format, starting with identifying a need or an issue and then presenting a solution or an offer, aiming to highlight the unique value proposition and benefits. A Speech, on the other hand, can cover a wide range of topics and follows a more elaborate structure, which includes an introduction, main body, and conclusion, allowing the speaker to explore ideas, share experiences, or advocate for a cause in-depth.
The delivery style of a Pitch is typically more dynamic, energetic, and engaging, utilizing various persuasion techniques, visual aids, and demonstrations to capture the audience’s attention and interest. A Speech, while also aiming to be engaging, is usually more formal and measured, focusing on clarity, coherence, and eloquence, often employing rhetorical devices, anecdotes, and references to enhance the message and connect with the audience.
Regarding the audience, a Pitch is usually directed at a specific group of people with the power or potential to accept, invest in, or endorse the proposal, making it crucial for the pitcher to understand the audience’s needs, preferences, and expectations. Speeches can be addressed to a broader and more diverse audience, requiring the speaker to consider the demographic, cultural, and contextual factors that might influence the audience's reception and interpretation of the message.
In essence, while both Pitch and Speech are modes of verbal communication, they differ in their purpose, with the former being more persuasive and targeted, and the latter being more informative and encompassing, each requiring a distinct approach to structure, delivery, and audience engagement.
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Comparison Chart
Purpose
To persuade or sell a product, service, or idea.
To inform, entertain, or inspire by conveying ideas or information.
Structure
Concise, targeted, follows a problem-solution format.
Elaborate, formal, consisting of introduction, body, and conclusion.
Delivery Style
Dynamic, energetic, engaging, uses visual aids.
Formal, measured, clear, coherent, employs rhetorical devices.
Audience
Specific, often investors, customers, stakeholders.
Broader, diverse, ranging from a small group to a large assembly.
Length
Typically shorter, succinct, and to the point.
Can be longer, detailed, and expansive.
Compare with Definitions
Pitch
The degree of highness or lowness of a tone.
The singer’s pitch was perfect, hitting every note with ease.
Speech
The expression of thoughts and feelings by articulate sounds.
Babies develop speech by listening and mimicking the sounds around them.
Pitch
The quality of a sound governed by the rate of vibrations producing it; the degree of highness or lowness of a tone
Her voice rose steadily in pitch
Speech
Speech is human vocal communication using language. Each language uses phonetic combinations of vowel and consonant sounds that form the sound of its words (that is, all English words sound different from all French words, even if they are the same word, e.g., "role" or "hotel"), and using those words in their semantic character as words in the lexicon of a language according to the syntactic constraints that govern lexical words' function in a sentence.
Pitch
The steepness of a slope, especially of a roof.
Speech
The expression of or the ability to express thoughts and feelings by articulate sounds
He was born deaf and without the power of speech
Pitch
A level of the intensity of something, especially a high level
The media furore reached such a pitch that the company withdrew the product
Speech
A formal address or discourse delivered to an audience
He gave a speech about the company
Pitch
An area of ground marked out or used for play in an outdoor team game
A football pitch
Speech
The faculty or act of speaking.
Pitch
A delivery of the ball by the pitcher.
Speech
The faculty or act of expressing or describing thoughts, feelings, or perceptions by the articulation of words.
Pitch
A form of words used when trying to persuade someone to buy or accept something
He put over a very strong sales pitch
Speech
What is spoken or expressed, as in conversation; uttered or written words
Seditious speech.
Pitch
A place where a street vendor or performer stations themselves or sets up a stall
The traders had already reserved their pitches
Speech
A talk or public address, or a written copy of this
The senator gave a speech.
Pitch
A swaying or oscillation of a ship, aircraft, or vehicle around a horizontal axis perpendicular to the direction of motion
The pitch and roll of the ship
Speech
The language or dialect of a nation or region
American speech.
Pitch
The distance between successive corresponding points or lines, for example between the teeth of a cogwheel.
Speech
One's manner or style of speaking
The mayor's mumbling speech.
Pitch
A sticky resinous black or dark brown substance that is semi-liquid when hot and hardens when cold, obtained by distilling tar or turpentine and used for waterproofing.
Speech
The study of oral communication, speech sounds, and vocal physiology.
Pitch
Set (one's voice or a piece of music) at a particular pitch
You've pitched the melody very high
Speech
(uncountable) The ability to speak; the faculty of uttering words or articulate sounds and vocalizations to communicate.
He had a bad speech impediment.
After the accident she lost her speech.
Pitch
Throw roughly or casually
He crumpled the page up and pitched it into the fireplace
Speech
(uncountable) The act of speaking, a certain style of it.
Her speech was soft and lilting.
Pitch
Throw (the ball) for the batter to try to hit.
Speech
(countable) A formal session of speaking, especially a long oral message given publicly by one person.
The candidate made some ambitious promises in his campaign speech.
Pitch
Make a bid to obtain a contract or other business
I've been pitching for this account for over a month
Speech
(countable) A dialect, vernacular, or (dated) a language.
Pitch
Set up and fix in position
We pitched camp for the night
Speech
(uncountable) Language used orally, rather than in writing.
This word is mostly used in speech.
Pitch
(of a moving ship, aircraft, or vehicle) rock or oscillate around a lateral axis, so that the front moves up and down
The little steamer pressed on, pitching gently
Speech
(grammar) An utterance that is quoted; see direct speech, reported speech
Pitch
Cause (a roof) to slope downwards from the ridge
The roof was pitched at an angle of 75 degrees
Speech
(uncountable) Public talk, news, gossip, rumour.
Pitch
Pave (a road) with stones
Another sort of stone is used for pitching streets
Speech
To make a speech; to harangue.
Pitch
(in brewing) add yeast to (wort) to induce fermentation.
Speech
The faculty of uttering articulate sounds or words; the faculty of expressing thoughts by words or articulate sounds; the power of speaking.
There is none comparable to the variety of instructive expressions by speech, wherewith man alone is endowed for the communication of his thoughts.
Pitch
Cover, coat, or smear with pitch.
Speech
He act of speaking; that which is spoken; words, as expressing ideas; language; conversation.
O goode God! how gentle and how kindYe seemed by your speech and your visageThe day that maked was our marriage.
The acts of God . . . to human earsCan nort without process of speech be told.
Pitch
Any of various thick, dark, sticky substances obtained from the distillation residue of coal tar, wood tar, or petroleum and used for waterproofing, roofing, caulking, and paving.
Speech
A particular language, as distinct from others; a tongue; a dialect.
People of a strange speech and of an hard language.
Pitch
Any of various natural bitumens, such as mineral pitch or asphalt.
Speech
Talk; mention; common saying.
The duke . . . did of me demandWhat was the speech among the LondonersConcerning the French journey.
Pitch
A resin derived from the sap of various coniferous trees, as the pines.
Speech
Formal discourse in public; oration; harangue.
The constant design of these orators, in all their speeches, was to drive some one particular point.
Pitch
The act or an instance of pitching.
Speech
Ny declaration of thoughts.
I. with leave of speech implored, . . . replied.
Pitch
A throw of the ball by the pitcher to the batter.
Speech
To make a speech; to harangue.
Pitch
A ball so thrown
Hit the pitch into left field.
Speech
The act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience;
He listened to an address on minor Roman poets
Pitch
(Sports) A playing field. Also called wicket.
Speech
(language) communication by word of mouth;
His speech was garbled
He uttered harsh language
He recorded the spoken language of the streets
Pitch
(Nautical) The alternate dip and rise of a vessel's bow and stern.
Speech
Something spoken;
He could hear them uttering merry speeches
Pitch
The alternate lift and descent of the nose and tail of an airplane.
Speech
The exchange of spoken words;
They were perfectly comfortable together without speech
Pitch
A steep slope.
Speech
Your characteristic style or manner of expressing yourself orally;
His manner of speaking was quite abrupt
Her speech was barren of southernisms
I detected a slight accent in his speech
Pitch
The degree of such a slope.
Speech
A lengthy rebuke;
A good lecture was my father's idea of discipline
The teacher gave him a talking to
Pitch
(Sports) A single interval between ledges or anchors used as belaying points in mountaineering
A climb of six pitches.
Speech
Words making up the dialogue of a play;
The actor forgot his speech
Pitch
The angle of a roof.
Speech
The mental faculty or power of vocal communication;
Language sets homo sapiens apart from all other animals
Pitch
The highest point of a structure
The pitch of an arch.
Speech
A formal address or discourse delivered to an audience.
The president’s speech on unity was heartfelt and inspiring.
Pitch
A level or degree, as of intensity
Worked at a feverish pitch.
Speech
A person's style or manner of speaking.
Her speech was slow and measured, emphasizing each word she said.
Pitch
(Acoustics) The distinctive quality of a sound, dependent primarily on the frequency of the sound waves produced by its source.
Speech
The ability to express thoughts and feelings by articulate sounds.
After the accident, he had therapy to regain his speech.
Pitch
(Music) The relative position of a tone within a range of musical sounds, as determined by this quality.
Speech
A piece of spoken language.
Each speech in the play revealed more about the character’s backstory.
Pitch
(Music) Any of various standards for this quality associating each tone with a particular frequency.
Pitch
The distance traveled by a machine screw in a single revolution.
Pitch
The distance between two corresponding points on adjacent screw threads or gear teeth.
Pitch
The distance between two corresponding points on a helix.
Pitch
The distance that a propeller would travel in an ideal medium during one complete revolution, measured parallel to the shaft of the propeller.
Pitch
A line of talk designed to persuade
"[his] pious pitch for ... austerity" (Boston Globe).
Pitch
An advertisement.
Pitch
Chiefly British The stand of a vendor or hawker.
Pitch
(Games) See seven-up.
Pitch
(Printing) The density of characters in a printed line, usually expressed as characters per inch.
Pitch
To smear or cover with pitch.
Pitch
To throw, usually with careful aim.
Pitch
To discard by throwing
Pitched my worn-out sneakers.
Pitch
To throw (the ball) from the mound to the batter.
Pitch
To play (a game or part of a game) as pitcher.
Pitch
To assign as pitcher
The manager decided to pitch a left-hander.
Pitch
To erect or establish; set up
Pitched a tent.
Pitch camp.
Pitch
To set firmly; implant; embed
Pitched stakes in the ground.
Pitch
To set at a specified downward slant
Pitched the roof at a steep angle.
Pitch
To set at a particular level, degree, or quality
Pitched her expectations too high.
Pitch
(Music) To set the pitch or key of.
Pitch
To adapt so as to be applicable; direct
Pitched his speech to the teenagers in the audience.
Pitch
(Informal) To attempt to promote or sell, often in a high-pressure manner
"showed up on local TV to pitch their views" (Business Week).
Pitch
(Sports) To hit (a golf ball) in a high arc with backspin so that it does not roll very far after striking the ground.
Pitch
To lead (a card), thus establishing the trump suit.
Pitch
To discard (a card other than a trump and different in suit from the card led).
Pitch
To throw or toss something, such as a ball, horseshoe, or bale.
Pitch
(Baseball) To play in the position of pitcher.
Pitch
To plunge headlong
He pitched over the railing.
Pitch
To stumble around; lurch.
Pitch
To buck, as a horse.
Pitch
(Nautical) To dip bow and stern alternately.
Pitch
To oscillate about a lateral axis so that the nose lifts or descends in relation to the tail. Used of an aircraft.
Pitch
To oscillate about a lateral axis that is both perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and horizontal to the earth. Used of a missile or spacecraft.
Pitch
To slope downward
The hill pitches steeply.
Pitch
To set up living quarters; encamp; settle.
Pitch
(Sports) To hit a golf ball in a high arc with backspin so that it does not roll very far after striking the ground.
Pitch
A sticky, gummy substance secreted by trees; sap.
It is hard to get this pitch off my hand.
Pitch
A dark, extremely viscous material remaining in still after distilling crude oil and tar.
They put pitch on the mast to protect it.
The barrel was sealed with pitch.
It was pitch black because there was no moon.
Pitch
(geology) Pitchstone.
Pitch
A throw; a toss; a cast, as of something from the hand.
A good pitch in quoits
Pitch
(baseball) The act of pitching a baseball.
The pitch was low and inside.
Pitch
The field on which cricket, soccer, rugby, gridiron or field hockey is played. cricket pitch.}} Not often used in the US or Canada, where "field" is the preferred word.
The teams met on the pitch.
Pitch
(rare) The field of battle.
Pitch
An effort to sell or promote something.
He gave me a sales pitch.
Pitch
The distance between evenly spaced objects, e.g. the teeth of a saw or gear, the turns of a screw thread, the centres of holes, or letters in a monospace font.
The pitch of pixels on the point scale is 72 pixels per inch.
The pitch of this saw is perfect for that type of wood.
A helical scan with a pitch of zero is equivalent to constant z-axis scanning.
Pitch
The angle at which an object sits.
The pitch of the roof or haystack
Pitch
The rotation angle about the transverse axis.
Pitch
The degree to which a vehicle, especially a ship or aircraft, rotates on such an axis, tilting its bow or nose up or down. Compare with roll, yaw, and heave.
The pitch of an aircraft
Pitch
(aviation) A measure of the angle of attack of a propeller.
The propeller blades' pitch went to 90° as the engine was feathered.
Pitch
An area in a market (or similar) allocated to a particular trader.
Pitch
(by extension) The place where a busker performs, a prostitute solicits clients, or an illegal gambling game etc. is set up before the public.
Pitch
An area on a campsite intended for occupation by a single tent, caravan or similar.
Pitch
A level or degree, or (by extension), a peak or highest degree.
Pitch
A point or peak; the extreme point of elevation or depression.
Pitch
The most thrust-out point of a headland or cape.
Pitch
Collectively, the outermost points of some part of the body, especially the shoulders or hips.
Pitch
The height a bird reaches in flight, especially a bird of prey preparing to swoop down on its prey.
Pitch
A person's or animal's height.
Pitch
Prominence; importance.
Pitch
(climbing) A section of a climb or rock face; specifically, the climbing distance between belays or stances.
Pitch
(caving) A vertical cave passage, only negotiable by using rope or ladders.
The entrance pitch requires 30 metres of rope.
Pitch
(cricket) That point of the ground on which the ball pitches or lights when bowled.
Pitch
A descent; a fall; a thrusting down.
Pitch
The point where a declivity begins; hence, the declivity itself; a descending slope; the degree or rate of descent or slope; slant.
A steep pitch in the road
The pitch of a roof
Pitch
(mining) The limit of ground set to a miner who receives a share of the ore taken out.
Pitch
The perceived frequency of a sound or note.
The pitch of middle "C" is familiar to many musicians.
Pitch
(music) The standard to which a group of musical instruments are tuned or in which a piece is performed, usually by reference to the frequency to which the musical note A above middle C is tuned.
Are we in baroque pitch for this one?
Pitch
(music) In an a cappella group, the singer responsible for singing a note for the other members to tune themselves by.
Bob, our pitch, let out a clear middle "C" and our conductor gave the signal to start.
Pitch
To cover or smear with pitch.
Pitch
To darken; to blacken; to obscure.
Pitch
(transitive) To throw.
He pitched the horseshoe.
Pitch
To throw (the ball) toward a batter at home plate.
The hurler pitched a curveball.
He pitched high and inside.
Pitch
To play baseball in the position of pitcher.
Bob pitches today.
Pitch
(transitive) To throw away; discard.
He pitched the candy wrapper.
Pitch
(transitive) To promote, advertise, or attempt to sell.
He pitched the idea for months with no takers.
Pitch
(transitive) To deliver in a certain tone or style, or with a certain audience in mind.
At which level should I pitch my presentation?
Pitch
(transitive) To assemble or erect (a tent).
Pitch the tent over there.
Pitch
(intransitive) To fix or place a tent or temporary habitation; to encamp.
Pitch
To move so that the front of an aircraft or boat goes alternatively up and down.
The typhoon pitched the deck of the ship.
The airplane pitched.
Pitch
To play a short, high, lofty shot that lands with backspin.
The only way to get on the green from here is to pitch the ball over the bunker.
Pitch
To bounce on the playing surface.
The ball pitched well short of the batsman.
Pitch
To settle and build up, without melting.
Pitch
To alight; to settle; to come to rest from flight.
Pitch
(with on or upon) To fix one's choice.
Pitch
(intransitive) To plunge or fall; especially, to fall forward; to decline or slope.
To pitch from a precipice
The field pitches toward the east.
Pitch
To set, face, or pave with rubble or undressed stones.
Pitch
To set or fix.
Pitch
To discard for some gain.
Pitch
To attack, or position or assemble for attack.
Pitch
(intransitive) To produce a note of a given pitch.
Pitch
(transitive) To fix or set the tone of.
Pitch
A thick, black, lustrous, and sticky substance obtained by boiling down tar. It is used in calking the seams of ships; also in coating rope, canvas, wood, ironwork, etc., to preserve them.
He that toucheth pitch shall be defiled therewith.
Pitch
See Pitchstone.
Pitch
A throw; a toss; a cast, as of something from the hand; as, a good pitch in quoits.
Pitch
That point of the ground on which the ball pitches or lights when bowled.
Pitch
A point or peak; the extreme point or degree of elevation or depression; hence, a limit or bound.
Driven headlong from the pitch of heaven, downInto this deep.
Enterprises of great pitch and moment.
To lowest pitch of abject fortune.
He lived when learning was at its highest pitch.
The exact pitch, or limits, where temperance ends.
Pitch
Height; stature.
Pitch
A descent; a fall; a thrusting down.
Pitch
The point where a declivity begins; hence, the declivity itself; a descending slope; the degree or rate of descent or slope; slant; as, a steep pitch in the road; the pitch of a roof.
Pitch
The relative acuteness or gravity of a tone, determined by the number of vibrations which produce it; the place of any tone upon a scale of high and low.
Pitch
The limit of ground set to a miner who receives a share of the ore taken out.
Pitch
The distance from center to center of any two adjacent teeth of gearing, measured on the pitch line; - called also circular pitch.
Pitch
The distance between symmetrically arranged or corresponding parts of an armature, measured along a line, called the pitch line, drawn around its length. Sometimes half of this distance is called the pitch.
Pitch
To cover over or smear with pitch.
Pitch
Fig.: To darken; to blacken; to obscure.
The welkin pitched with sullen could.
Pitch
To throw, generally with a definite aim or purpose; to cast; to hurl; to toss; as, to pitch quoits; to pitch hay; to pitch a ball.
Pitch
To thrust or plant in the ground, as stakes or poles; hence, to fix firmly, as by means of poles; to establish; to arrange; as, to pitch a tent; to pitch a camp.
Pitch
To set, face, or pave with rubble or undressed stones, as an embankment or a roadway.
Pitch
To fix or set the tone of; as, to pitch a tune.
Pitch
To set or fix, as a price or value.
Pitch
To fix or place a tent or temporary habitation; to encamp.
Pitch
To light; to settle; to come to rest from flight.
The tree whereon they [the bees] pitch.
Pitch
To fix one's choise; - with on or upon.
Pitch upon the best course of life, and custom will render it the more easy.
Pitch
To plunge or fall; esp., to fall forward; to decline or slope; as, to pitch from a precipice; the vessel pitches in a heavy sea; the field pitches toward the east.
Pitch
The property of sound that varies with variation in the frequency of vibration
Pitch
(baseball) the throwing of a baseball by a pitcher to a batter
Pitch
A vendor's position (especially on the sidewalk);
He was employed to see that his paper's news pitches were not trespassed upon by rival vendors
Pitch
Promotion by means of an argument and demonstration
Pitch
Degree of deviation from a horizontal plane;
The roof had a steep pitch
Pitch
Any of various dark heavy viscid substances obtained as a residue
Pitch
A high approach shot in golf
Pitch
An all-fours game in which the first card led is a trump
Pitch
Abrupt up-and-down motion (as caused by a ship or other conveyance);
The pitching and tossing was quite exciting
Pitch
The action or manner of throwing something;
His pitch fell short and his hat landed on the floor
Pitch
Throw or toss with a light motion;
Flip me the beachball
Toss me newspaper
Pitch
Move abruptly;
The ship suddenly lurched to the left
Pitch
Fall or plunge forward;
She pitched over the railing of the balcony
Pitch
Set to a certain pitch;
He pitched his voice very low
Pitch
Sell or offer for sale from place to place
Pitch
Be at an angle;
The terrain sloped down
Pitch
Heel over;
The tower is tilting
The ceiling is slanting
Pitch
Erect and fasten;
Pitch a tent
Pitch
Throw or hurl from the mound to the batter, as in baseball;
The pitcher delivered the ball
Pitch
Hit (a golf ball) in a high arc with a backspin
Pitch
Lead (a card) and establish the trump suit
Pitch
Set the level or character of;
She pitched her speech to the teenagers in the audience
Pitch
A brief and persuasive presentation intended to sell or persuade.
His pitch for the new software product captivated the investors immediately.
Pitch
The throw of the ball towards the batter in baseball.
The pitcher’s fast pitch left the batter swinging at thin air.
Pitch
The steepness of a slope, roof, or other surfaces.
The mountain's steep pitch made it a challenging climb for the hikers.
Pitch
To set up and fix firmly, like pitching a tent.
We decided to pitch our tent near the lakeside for a scenic view.
Common Curiosities
Should a pitch be concise?
Typically, yes. Pitches are usually more effective when they are succinct and to the point.
Is a pitch always sales-oriented?
Not always, a pitch can also be used to persuade people to adopt an idea or a belief.
Is speech always formal?
No, speech can be both formal and informal depending on the context and audience.
Can a pitch be informal?
Yes, the formality of a pitch depends on the audience and context.
Can a pitch be written?
Yes, pitches can be delivered both orally and in written form, like in an email or a proposal.
Is speech limited to public speaking?
No, speech encompasses any articulated expression of thoughts, formal or informal.
Is clarity important in speech?
Absolutely, clarity is crucial in speech to ensure understanding and convey the message effectively.
Should a pitch have a call to action?
Ideally, yes. A clear call to action can guide the audience on what steps to take next.
Can a speech be interactive?
Yes, some speeches encourage audience interaction and participation.
Can speech include visual aids?
Yes, visual aids can enhance speech by providing visual context and supporting the spoken words.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
