punctuation

[ puhngk-choo-ey-shuhn ]

/ ˌpʌŋk tʃuˈeɪ ʃən /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for punctuation on Thesaurus.com

noun

the practice or system of using certain conventional marks or characters in writing or printing in order to separate elements and make the meaning clear, as in ending a sentence or separating clauses.

the act of punctuating.

punctuation marks.

Biology. the sudden or accelerated extinction of some species and emergence of others, occurring only in isolated periods, as set forth in the theory of punctuated equilibrium.

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of punctuation

First recorded in 1530–40; from Medieval Latin pūnctuātiōn- (stem of pūnctuātiō ) “a marking, pointing”; see punctuate, -ion

OTHER WORDS FROM punctuation

punc·tu·a·tion·al, punc·tu·a·tive, adjectivenon·punc·tu·a·tion, nounre·punc·tu·a·tion, noun

Words nearby punctuation

punctilious, punctual, punctuality, punctuate, punctuated equilibrium, punctuation, punctuationalism, punctuation mark, punctulate, puncture, puncture vine

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use punctuation in a sentence

The greyscale layout is extremely slick and gets a nice bit of punctuation from the bright red escape key.
The best keyboards to upgrade your computer setup|Jasmine Harding|October 1, 2021|Popular-Science
I picked up on the vibe that JBL wants to say its Bluetooth waterproof speakers are exciting and it aligns with the speaker’s overall bold look, though the punctuation is a little too flashy for my taste.
JBL Charge 5 review: A rugged, portable Bluetooth speaker with battery to spare|Billy Cadden|June 15, 2021|Popular-Science
John Mueller said no, we don’t give any special consideration to punctuation after a link.
May 22 Google update was big, despite Google’s being mum about it; Wednesday’s daily brief|Barry Schwartz|May 26, 2021|Search Engine Land
The zesty curry sauce is my punctuation of choice for the fried fare, the restaurant’s top-selling dish.
Mattie & Eddie’s channels the Irish spirit of a veteran chef’s grandparents|Tom Sietsema|May 21, 2021|Washington Post

When there is automatic captioning on the video, the punctuation can be erratic, the words can be transcribed incorrectly and the caption is not always attributed to the speaker.
Four reasons you’re tired of Zoom calls — and what to do about it|Paulina Firozi, Allyson Chiu|March 3, 2021|Washington Post
Completed in 1953 and composed with standard line breaks and punctuation, the book was completely ignored upon submission.
The Lost Novel of Nobel-Winner José Saramago|Charles Shafaieh|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
“And to see great fashion,” he added half-heartedly, in monotone and with no punctuation.
Justin Bieber's Abs Cannot Save Him|Tim Teeman|September 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
You might say that this is part of my side of the story… Please excuse my handwriting, punctuation, and spelling.
Life as an Undocumented Immigrant|Jose Antonio Vargas|April 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was more like punctuation, a real life comma that emphasizes the constant pressures of our daily schedule.
Why Men Shouldn’t Wait To Have Kids|Conor P. Williams|March 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The rise to infamy of the “SarcMark”® is unparalleled in the history of punctuation.
The Rise and Fall of the Infamous SarcMark|Keith Houston|September 24, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Inconsistencies in the author's spelling, punctuation, and use of hyphens have been retained as in the original book.
The Homesteader|Oscar Micheaux
Spacing after punctuation standardized, inconsistent hyphenation and archaic spelling retained.
A Brief History of the U. S. S. Imperator, one of the two Largest Ships in the U. S. Navy.|Anonymous
The want of a mark of punctuation, or the incorrect placing of it, will make the most woful confusion.
The Ladies' Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness|Florence Hartley
After this it becomes exceedingly common, and is even employed as a mark of punctuation between the words.
The Catacombs of Rome|William Henry Withrow
Transcriber's note: Minor spelling and punctuation inconsistencies, mainly quotes that had not been closed, have been harmonized.
On Patrol|John Graham Bower

British Dictionary definitions for punctuation

punctuation

/ (ˌpʌŋktjʊˈeɪʃən) /

noun

the use of symbols not belonging to the alphabet of a writing system to indicate aspects of the intonation and meaning not otherwise conveyed in the written language

the symbols used for this purpose

the act or an instance of punctuating

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

punctuation

Origin of punctuation

OTHER WORDS FROM punctuation

Words nearby punctuation

Words related to punctuation

How to use punctuation in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for punctuation