exclamation
Americannoun
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the act of exclaiming; outcry; loud complaint or protest.
The speech was continually interrupted by rude exclamations.
- Synonyms:
- vociferation, ejaculation, cry
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an interjection.
-
Rhetoric. ecphonesis.
noun
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an abrupt, emphatic, or excited cry or utterance; interjection; ejaculation
-
the act of exclaiming
Other Word Forms
- exclamational adjective
Etymology
Origin of exclamation
1350–1400; Middle English exclamacio ( u ) n < Latin exclāmātiōn- (stem of exclāmātiō ) a calling out, equivalent to exclāmāt ( us ) (past participle of exclāmāre; exclaim ) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
If you need a word to call other "words" like "Yay!" or "Rats!", then exclamation is your word. An exclamation is usually followed by an exclamation point. Go Figure. The shocked cry you made when your friends jumped out and yelled, "Surprise!" at your birthday party? You could call both your yelp and their "Surprise!" exclamations. The Latin word exclamare, or "cry out loud," is at the root of the noun exclamation. An exclamation doesn't need to be a literal "cry," though — it can be a surprised "Wow!" or an angry "No!" Anything you say with abrupt excitement, pain, fear, or anger is an exclamation.
Vocabulary lists containing exclamation
Sentences - Introductory
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Catching the Light, Part 1
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Part 3 Literary Terms (Unit 1)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“All that did was put an exclamation point on it,” Brunner said.
From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026
The 35-page ruling uses a large number of exclamation points, arguing that Congress must give approval in order for the project to resume.
From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026
The final exclamation point, however, came from a bunch of guys who were missing more than a few teeth.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026
The Grammys were an appropriate exclamation point on an extraordinary year that has cemented the 31-year-old's reign over global music.
From Barron's • Feb. 2, 2026
The exclamation point made Rita seem untrustworthy, or, at the very least, insincere.
From "Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures" by Kate DiCamillo
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
