exclamation point

noun

1
: a mark ! used especially after an interjection or exclamation to indicate forceful utterance or strong feeling
2
: a distinctive indication of major significance, interest, or contrast
the game put an exclamation point on the season

called also exclamation mark

Examples of exclamation point 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.
Her paragraphs are sprinkled with smiley faces and exclamation points. Dateline Nbc, NBC news, 9 July 2025 His 49-page motion — with bold-faced phrases and exclamation points — used pejoratives and hyperbole to describe former colleagues and their motives. Robert Anglen, AZCentral.com, 7 July 2025 His surpassing of 3,000 strikeouts feels like a sense of closure for Kershaw while placing an exclamation point on a magnificent career. Wayne G. McDonnell, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025 Two days after the season, Drury fired Laviolette: the exclamation point on an unexpectedly awful season. Peter Baugh, New York Times, 19 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for exclamation point

Word History

First Known Use

1824, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of exclamation point was in 1824

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Exclamation point.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exclamation%20point. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

exclamation point

noun
: a punctuation mark ! used chiefly after an exclamation to show a forceful way of speaking or a strong feeling

More from Merriam-Webster on exclamation point

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