percentage

noun

per·​cent·​age pər-ˈsen-tij How to pronounce percentage (audio)
1
a
: a part of a whole expressed in hundredths
a high percentage of students attended
b
: the result obtained by multiplying a number by a percent
the percentage equals the rate times the base
2
a
: a share of winnings or profits
b
: advantage, profit
no percentage in going around looking like an old sack of laundryWallace Stegner
3
: an indeterminate part : proportion
4
b
: favorable odds

Examples of percentage in a Sentence

If a goalie saves 96 out of 100 shots, his save percentage is 96 percent. The percentages of women completing high school and college were 95 percent and 52 percent, respectively. What percentage of your income do you spend on rent?
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.
The average percentage of ED visits was found to be linked to an increase in the average daily Air Quality Index (AQI), which is put out by the Environmental Protection Agency. Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 6 Feb. 2025 The percentage of students who attended public pre-K in Texas the prior year for at least 80 days and were considered kindergarten ready was almost 71%, an increase of 2.5 percentage points. Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Feb. 2025 By the numbers Within the first few months of the telework policy going into place, the overall percentage of employees who come into offices hasn’t dramatically changed. William Melhado, Sacramento Bee, 5 Feb. 2025 The Kansas City area has the highest percentage of people experiencing chronic homelessness living outside without shelter of any major U.S. city, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 5 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for percentage 

Word History

First Known Use

1757, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of percentage was in 1757

Dictionary Entries Near percentage

Cite this Entry

“Percentage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/percentage. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

percentage

noun
per·​cent·​age pər-ˈsent-ij How to pronounce percentage (audio)
1
a
: a part of a whole expressed in hundredths
a high percentage of students attended
b
: the result obtained by multiplying a number by a percent
the percentage equals the rate times the base
2
a
: probability sense 3a
play the percentages
b
: favorable odds

More from Merriam-Webster on percentage

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!