say to oneself

say to oneself (third-person singular simple present says to oneself, present participle saying to oneself, simple past and past participle said to oneself)

1. Synonym of talk to oneself.
   • 1951 October, R. S. McNaught, “Lines of Approach”, in Railway Magazine, page 704:

     "The Northern Heights at last," you say to yourself, hastily closing the carriage window because the Yorkshire coal used by the Eastern Region and its predecessors makes their tunnels more sulphurous than any we know.