A system and method are disclosed capable of parsing a spoken utterance into a natural language request and a speech audio segment, where the natural language request directs the system to use the speech audio segment as a new wakeword. In response to this wakeword assignment directive, the system and method are further capable of immediately building a new wakeword spotter to activate the device upon matching the new wakeword in the input audio. Different approaches to promptly building a new wakeword spotter are described. Variations of wakeword assignment directives can make the new wakeword public or private. They can also add the new wakeword to earlier wakewords, or replace earlier wakewords.