exclamation point

American  

noun

1. the sign (!) used in writing after an exclamation.

2. this mark sometimes used in writing two or more times in succession to indicate intensity of emotion, loudness, etc..

   Long live the Queen!!

3. this mark sometimes used without accompanying words in writing direct discourse to indicate a speaker's dumbfounded astonishment.

   “His wife just gave birth to quintuplets.”(!)

---

exclamation point Cultural  

1. A punctuation mark (!) used after an abrupt and emphatic statement or after a command: “‘Help!’ he cried, as his boat floated toward the edge of Niagara Falls.”

---

Etymology

Origin of exclamation point

First recorded in 1860–65

Example Sentences

“All that did was put an exclamation point on it,” Brunner said.

From Salon • Apr. 4, 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

In 2014, Davis and White became the first U.S. pair to win Olympic gold in ice dance, an exclamation point on their dominant era that included six consecutive national championships from 2009 to 2014.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 10, 2026

She rummaged around for a second and suggested a triangle with an exclamation point in it, which would signal a bit of excitement but clear danger too.

From Slate • Dec. 26, 2025

DuShawn is standing, too, but the way his baggy pants cascade from hip to floor he looks like a question mark next to Tonni’s exclamation point.

From "The Misfits" by James Howe