hyphen

verb

hyphened; hyphening; hyphens

Examples of hyphen 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.
Normally, closed caption subtitling bleeps words in a variety of different ways: phrases, such as (bleep), [expletive], or [censored] may be used, though sometimes hyphens or asterisks are substituted instead (f–k, f---, or f*** are all examples. Ace Ratcliff, SELF, 10 July 2018 See All Example Sentences for hyphen

Word History

First Known Use

1814, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hyphen was in 1814

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Cite this Entry

“Hyphen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hyphen. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

hyphen

1 of 2 noun
hy·​phen ˈhī-fən How to pronounce hyphen (audio)
: a punctuation mark - used to divide or to compound words or word elements

hyphen

2 of 2 verb

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