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
While not exactly winding down its tenseness, “Omaha” exits with some explanatory text about the origins of its narrative that will punctuate your sadness with shocks.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 2026
The earnings punctuate one of the more impressive advances for the market since the Covid pandemic.
From Barron's ● Apr. 27, 2026
It’s obviously being used to punctuate the ending of a chapter with the show coming to a close.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 17, 2026
“I’m trying to teach my teenage son to punctuate properly,” said a nice scholarly-looking man.
From "Eats, Shoots & Leaves" by Author
He routinely punctuates his public speeches with historical anecdotes and oddities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 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
It was punctuated by an automatic voice saying the caller was a prisoner, which is usual practice for calls from Iranian prisons.
From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026
The move follows a summer punctuated by reports of AI systems industrywide going rogue, and marks a rare case of a major AI developer ditching a new release because of safety concerns.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
After Grant’s 60-yard score to Rattler put the Cougars up 12-6, Cleveland drove 80 yards in 12 plays, keyed by three completions by quarterback Domenik Fuentes and punctuated by Joseph Hurtado’s one-yard touchdown run.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2026
There was no repeat of the scuffles which have punctuated parts of the build-up, with Benn remaining stone-faced before the pair were separated.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026
The impression was of closeted boredom punctuated by contests and schemes—jumping between the beds, building a camp, half devising a board game, then giving up.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
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
A Chinese military court issued suspended death sentences to two former defense ministers for corruption, punctuating a broad purge of China’s armed forces that has ousted most of the high command.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 7, 2026
Even Marin’s incessant flippancy and Chong’s “maaan”s punctuating every other sentence become enjoyable the more time one spends with them.
From Salon ● Apr. 18, 2026
The rookie Thiero also made his debut against the Bucks, scoring four points and punctuating his first NBA appearance with an emphatic two-handed dunk in the final minute.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 16, 2025
Slowly, all around me, too, the church ladies began nodding their approval, punctuating his sentences with calls of “Mmmm-hmm” and “That’s right!”
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
