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Showing results for paragraph. Search instead for paragraphs.
Synonyms

paragraph

American  
[par-uh-graf, -grahf] / ˈpær əˌgræf, -ˌgrɑf /

noun

  1. a distinct portion of written or printed matter dealing with a particular idea, usually beginning with an indentation on a new line.

  2. a paragraph mark.

  3. a note, item, or brief article, as in a newspaper.


verb (used with object)

  1. to divide into paragraphs.

  2. to write or publish paragraphs about, as in a newspaper.

  3. to express in a paragraph.

paragraph British  
/ ˈpærəˌɡrɑːf, -ˌɡræf, ˌpærəˈɡræfɪk /

noun

  1. (in a piece of writing) one of a series of subsections each usually devoted to one idea and each usually marked by the beginning of a new line, indentation, increased interlinear space, etc

  2. printing the character ¶, used as a reference mark or to indicate the beginning of a new paragraph

  3. a short article in a newspaper

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to form into paragraphs

  2. to express or report in a paragraph

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
paragraph Cultural  
  1. A basic unit of prose. It is usually composed of several sentences that together develop one central idea. The main sentence in a paragraph is called the topic sentence.


Other Word Forms

  • paragraphic adjective
  • paragraphically adverb
  • paragraphism noun
  • paragraphistical adjective
  • subparagraph noun
  • unparagraphed adjective
  • well-paragraphed adjective

Etymology

Origin of paragraph

1515–25; earlier paragraphe < Greek paragraphḗ marked passage; para- 1, graph

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.

The tone of the marketing campaign bid request itself echoes that message, with its introductory paragraph pulled directly from Newsom’s State of the State speech in January.

From Los Angeles Times

The first paragraph of the agreement contained the core of the deal: “Iran reaffirms that under no circumstances will Iran ever seek, develop or acquire any nuclear weapons.”

From The Wall Street Journal

That single, thirteen-letter spirit word was translated by a medium’s assistant into a paragraph containing forty-five words of English!

From Literature

Here are a few other funny things I couldn’t work into the paragraphs above.

From Los Angeles Times

We put together those two paragraphs in support of Jay.

From The Wall Street Journal