punctuate

verb

punc·​tu·​ate ˈpəŋk-chə-ˌwāt How to pronounce punctuate (audio)
punctuated; punctuating
Synonyms of punctuatenext

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 How to pronounce punctuate (audio)
noun

Synonyms of punctuate

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

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
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 story is breezy, but punctuated by shockingly good performances and that whimsical Saturday morning cartoon feel. — George Yang, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026 The endless days are punctuated by the appearance of gigantic thunderheads that, many afternoons, seem to boil up into the sky. — M. R. O’Connor, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 Alex Bregman hit three of Chicago's franchise-record nine home runs and the Cubs punctuated their August power display with a 17-3 blowout of the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday night. — ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026 That track is then punctuated with a solo from guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen of Queens of the Stone Age. — Steve Appleford, SPIN, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for punctuate

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of punctuate was circa 1766

Rhymes for punctuate

See All Rhymes for punctuate

Browse Nearby Words

punctualness
punctuate
punctuated equilibrium
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Punctuate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punctuate. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

punctuate

verb
punc·​tu·​ate ˈpəŋ(k)-chə-ˌwāt How to pronounce punctuate (audio)
punctuated; punctuating
1
: to mark or divide with punctuation marks
2
: to interrupt at intervals
a speech punctuated by a harsh cough
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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of apiary

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All