punctuate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
punctuates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
punctuated,
past participle, past
-
punctuating
present participle
-
to mark or divide (something written) with punctuation marks in order to make the meaning clear.
-
to interrupt at intervals.
Cheers punctuated the mayor's speech.
-
to give emphasis or force to; emphasize; underline.
verb (used without object)
-
punctuates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
punctuated,
past participle, past
-
punctuating
present participle
verb
-
(also intr) to insert punctuation marks into (a written text)
-
to interrupt or insert at frequent intervals
a meeting punctuated by heckling
-
to give emphasis to
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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punctuatornoun
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repunctuateverb (used with object)
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nonpunctuatingadjective
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unpunctuatedadjective
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unpunctuatingadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
punctuatesimple
-
punctuatessimple
-
have punctuatedperfect
-
has punctuatedperfect
-
am punctuatingprogressive
-
are punctuatingprogressive
-
is punctuatingprogressive
-
have been punctuatingperfect progressive
-
has been punctuatingperfect progressive
Past
-
punctuatedsimple
-
had punctuatedperfect
-
was punctuatingprogressive
-
were punctuatingprogressive
-
had been punctuatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of punctuate
1625–35; < Medieval Latin pūnctuātus (past participle of pūnctuāre to point), derivative of Latin pūnctus a pricking; see punctual
Explanation
Most commonly, punctuate means to insert standard marks (like periods, commas, and exclamation points) into written sentences. You punctuate sentences to give the reader additional information, such as when a sentence ends, whether or not that sentence is a question, and when a series of words might be a list. You can also punctuate, or emphasize, your words by shouting them or making them ALL CAPS. Occasionally, this verb can also mean "interrupt periodically," as when your cat walks back and forth across your keyboard, punctuating your writing with "shjkpl;" and "pohjxz."
Vocabulary lists containing punctuate
Language and Grammar - Introductory
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Refugee
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Common Core Grades 7–8, List 5
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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.
See Examples For:
They spray confetti into the audience to punctuate their biggest songs, and add an honorary fifth member, Ryan Malcolm, to flesh out their sound with swells of keyboard and additional rhythm guitar.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
The earnings punctuate one of the more impressive advances for the market since the Covid pandemic.
From Barron's ● Apr. 27, 2026
Jamal Murray drained a three-pointer from almost three-quarters court at the buzzer to punctuate a chaotic final 35 seconds that included Doncic’s 13th technical foul of the season and an 8-0 run for the Nuggets.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 21, 2026
Imagine this: The cheerful, if slightly scolding voices of the self-checkout machines punctuate the steady hum of fluorescent lights.
From Salon ● Jan. 3, 2026
“I’m trying to teach my teenage son to punctuate properly,” said a nice scholarly-looking man.
From "Eats, Shoots & Leaves" by Author
The development punctuates a series of disclosures of incidents in which advanced AI models escaped from testing environments and behaved in unforeseen ways, raising questions about companies’ abilities to constrain their increasingly capable creations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
An unexpected board drama at Denmark’s Novo Nordisk punctuates an already tumultuous year in which the maker of the blockbusters Ozempic and Wegovy plans to slash 9,000 workers globally.
From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2025
When the chorus finally lands—“Take a load off, Fanny”—it’s Manuel who punctuates the song’s vocal stylings.
From Salon ● Jun. 16, 2025
Once more, it was a realpolitik that punctuates the Portuguese's career - and would sit well with the realism of Hardy.
From BBC ● Apr. 23, 2025
“Man, I love this guy,” says Dylan, and he punctuates it with a squeeze.
From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
Instead, the humid silence is punctuated by the diesel generators, the occasional Bluetooth speaker or the tinny buzzing of a cell phone squeezing out reggaeton, reparto or US pop.
From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026
The conflict in the region has been ongoing since the end of February, punctuated by a faltering ceasefire which was meant to lead to a deal to end the war.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
Pitching at Yankee Stadium for the first time, he punctuated a clean first inning by getting ahead of Paul Goldschmidt with 101.8- and 101.7-mph fastballs, en route to a five-pitch strikeout.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2026
The episode punctuated how reflexively we latch onto the idea of weakness as the primary outgrowth of racial injustice.
From Salon ● Jun. 19, 2026
There was a special quietness about the place, punctuated now and then by the high trill of birdsong.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
Throughout the show, his chosen family is on stage with him, punctuating his stories with songs that give each anecdote an emotional button.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
The funniest part of that conversation is when Sam labels Judith a WOACA, a Woman of a Certain Age, pronouncing it as if he were Fozzie Bear punctuating a joke in an old-timey stand-up set.
From Salon ● Jul. 26, 2026
He has said that Trump has admiringly called him a "tough cookie" in private conversations, punctuating the point with a serviceable impersonation of the president.
From BBC ● May 18, 2026
“I’m holding and I will buy more tomorrow! already 30k shares. LET’S GO,” one wrote, punctuating the statement with a large number of exclamation points.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2025
Mr. Remora jabbed a finger in Emily’s direction, punctuating every word.
From "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
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.
