punctuate

verb

punc·​tu·​ate ˈpəŋk-chə-ˌwāt 

punctuated; punctuating

transitive verb

1

: to mark or divide (written matter) with punctuation marks

2

: to break into or interrupt at intervals

the steady click of her needles punctuated the silence

—Edith Wharton

3

: accentuate, emphasize

intransitive verb

: to use punctuation marks

punctuator

ˈpəŋk-chə-ˌwā-tər 

noun

Synonyms

• accent
• accentuate
• emphasize
• feature
• foreground
• highlight
• illuminate
• play up
• point (up)
• press
• stress

Examples of punctuate in a Sentence

Do you know how to punctuate a sentence correctly?

punctuated each and every word of his denial with a pound of his fist on the table

Recent Examples on the Web

The pair then punctuated the frock with custom pieces by Joe Big Mountain, a master quillwork artist who is Mohawk, Comanche, Cree, and has also been worn by stars like Lily Gladstone. —Christian Allaire, Vogue, 16 Sep. 2024

And Theo Bodor, who helped develop a dish of fried tofu served in a rich tomato stew punctuated by bites of crunchy peanuts. —Elazar Sontag, Bon Appétit, 9 Sep. 2024

Travel can be joyful, fulfilling, relaxing and exciting, yet it’s too often punctuated by hectic experiences in busy airports. —Sharron Van Der Meulen, Forbes, 6 Sep. 2024

Using her usual brand of high-risk, high-reward tennis, Sabalenka produced 34 winners and 34 unforced errors — punctuating most of her groundstrokes with a yell — and, in a fitting bit of symmetry, Navarro had 13 winners and 13 unforced errors. —Howard Fendrich, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin punctuatus, past participle of punctuare to point, provide with punctuation marks, from Latin punctus point

First Known Use

circa 1766, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

punctuate

verb

punc·​tu·​ate ˈpəŋ(k)-chə-ˌwāt 

punctuated; punctuating

1

: to mark or divide with punctuation marks

2

: to interrupt at intervals

a speech punctuated by a harsh cough