Viva voces is a Latin phrase that means "live voices". It is often used in academic settings to refer to an oral examination or a public defense of a thesis or dissertation. While this phrase is commonly used in academia, there are also several synonyms that can be used in its place. Some of these synonyms include oral defense, viva voce examination, public examination, and verbal examination. Additionally, other phrases like oral presentation, public speaking, or live debate can be used to describe situations where individuals are speaking in front of an audience. Whatever the synonym, the main idea is that individuals are presenting information and ideas to an audience in a live setting.