exclamation

American  

[ek-skluh-mey-shuhn] / ˌɛk skləˈmeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act of exclaiming; outcry; loud complaint or protest.

   The speech was continually interrupted by rude exclamations.

   Synonyms:

   vociferation, ejaculation, cry

2. an interjection.

3. Rhetoric. ecphonesis.

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exclamation British  

/ ˌɛkskləˈmeɪʃən /

noun

1. an abrupt, emphatic, or excited cry or utterance; interjection; ejaculation

2. the act of exclaiming

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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

Example Sentences

Hüller’s voice begins small before unfurling into a mighty, sonorant exclamation until it’s brought back down again, like a woman who’s reluctant to let herself have too much faith in the impossible.

From Salon • Mar. 21, 2026

Sawgrass put an exclamation mark on that before sell out crowds.

From BBC • Mar. 16, 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

But the Hurricanes’ semifinal win also puts an exclamation point on this postseason’s unmistakable message.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 9, 2026

I guess the exclamation points said it all.

From "100 Sideways Miles" by Andrew Smith