punctuation
noun
punc·tu·a·tion
ˌpəŋk-chə-ˈwā-shən 
1
: the act of punctuating : the state of being punctuated
2
: the act or practice of inserting standardized marks or signs in written matter to clarify the meaning and separate structural units
also
: a system of punctuation
3
: something that contrasts or accentuates
Examples of punctuation in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Young Hearts looks terrific; the interludes with the boys biking along country roads serve as delicate punctuation.
—
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 June 2024
Her new degree is punctuation for a life spent advocating for public education for the masses.
—Dennis Romero, NBC News, 19 June 2024
The game of runs in Philadelphia, one that could’ve gone either way, put the perfect punctuation on a classic day in the Big East that saw three games decided by three points or less.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 21 Jan. 2024
This inward shift, this internalization of an author’s voice, was made possible by the gradual standardization of punctuation, which allowed writing to become less dependent upon the cadences of speech and gave writers the freedom to explore more private realms of thought.
—Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for punctuation 
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 June 2024
Her new degree is punctuation for a life spent advocating for public education for the masses.
—Dennis Romero, NBC News, 19 June 2024
The game of runs in Philadelphia, one that could’ve gone either way, put the perfect punctuation on a classic day in the Big East that saw three games decided by three points or less.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 21 Jan. 2024
This inward shift, this internalization of an author’s voice, was made possible by the gradual standardization of punctuation, which allowed writing to become less dependent upon the cadences of speech and gave writers the freedom to explore more private realms of thought.
—Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for punctuation
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'punctuation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near punctuation
Cite this Entry
“Punctuation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punctuation. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
punctuation
noun
punc·tu·a·tion
ˌpəŋ(k)-chə-ˈwā-shən
: the act, practice, or system of inserting punctuation marks in written matter to make the meaning clear and separate parts (as clauses or sentences)
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