question mark

[ kwes-chuhn mahrk ]

noun

1. Also called interrogation point, a punctuation mark indicating a question: usually, as in English, the mark (?) placed after a question.
2. something unanswered or unknown:

   His identity is still a question mark to most of us.

3. an anglewing butterfly, Polygonia interrogationis, having a silver marking that resembles a question mark on the underside of each hindwing.

question mark

noun

1. the punctuation mark ? , used at the end of questions and in other contexts where doubt or ignorance is implied
2. this mark used for any other purpose, as to draw attention to a possible mistake, as in a chess commentary
3. an element of doubt or uncertainty

question mark

1. A punctuation mark (?) that follows a direct question: “Is Ralph really seven feet tall?”

Word History and Origins

Origin of question mark¹

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

The big question mark Saturday is whether any snow falls before the icy precipitation takes over and then whether more sleet or freezing rain falls.

From Washington Post

Nonetheless, there continues to be a question mark over whether circumstances could change.

From Digiday

The big question mark is how far north and east the primary low center will track before a new low center develops.

From Washington Post

It’s hard to be sure of any potential outcome when there are so many question marks over what comes after third-party cookies.

From Digiday

Now, whether he starts on the active roster or on the taxi squad is a question mark, and the lack of preseason games hurts his chances of moving up.

From Washington Post

But I am very good at turning a question mark into an exclamation point.

From The Daily Beast

When asked what will happen to Giglio when the ship is gone, he simply draws a giant invisible question mark on the table.

From The Daily Beast

For seven years now, Jon Hamm's debonair ad exec has been the existential question mark at the center of the series.

From The Daily Beast

“Now there's a question mark about where that's going to go,” he said.

From The Daily Beast

She remembers things like the time to she found “a note he wrote to himself that said ‘put on pants’…with a question mark.”

From The Daily Beast

This is but the replacing of the question mark with a meaningless label.

From Project Gutenberg

Such is the way of the buzzard—that shifting black question mark which punctuates a Southern sky.

From Project Gutenberg

"The question mark after the 'Whither' would look nice on the cover," he reflected regretfully.

From Project Gutenberg

I scored this matter with a question mark, putting it aside to think on more when I should be alone.

From Project Gutenberg

We always went to church in the morning, and people were very kind, but it was kindness with a question-mark.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• conundrum
• puzzle