full stop

noun

chiefly British
: a point . used to show the end of a sentence or an abbreviation : period sense 5a
… the full stop after the roman numeral …Eric Korn
He found that a full stop expressed his feelings too violently, and wrote the letter again, for the fifth time …Anthony Trollope
… ordered the initials 'F. C. W. K.,' with the customary untrained grape-vine-looking flourishes, and a large full stop, to be engraved forthwith.Charles Dickens
used interjectionally to emphasize the finality of the preceding statement
… when it comes to parenting she's the boss, full stop.Pamela Druckerman

Examples of full stop in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Some people come to almost full stops with no explanation in order to turn or cut me off for funsies... what? Dalton Ross, EW.com, 30 Oct. 2024 That plan, which President Joe Biden had embraced a year ago, came to a full stop when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7. Andrea Mitchell, NBC News, 28 Oct. 2024 Perhaps initially dismissed as a resurging fad a few years ago, the Espresso Martini has solidified itself as one of the most in-demand cocktails, full stop. Rachel King, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024 But a powerful personality takes a while to come to a full stop. Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for full stop 

Word History

First Known Use

1643, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of full stop was in 1643

Dictionary Entries Near full stop

Cite this Entry

“Full stop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/full%20stop. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

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