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
Their victory in the final 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.
My family's summer road trip had just gotten underway when an unfamiliar orange exclamation point illuminated the dashboard of our Honda Pilot. Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026 Jacob Fatu put an exclamation point on his desire to win the World Heavyweight Championship even as he was pinned in a loss to Roman Reigns at Backlash on Saturday night. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 10 May 2026 Harkins’ goal, into an empty net, was the exclamation point on the win. Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026 Her mouth jutted open longwise, like an exclamation point. Literary Hub, 7 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for exclamation point

Word History

First Known Use

1795, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of exclamation point was in 1795

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Exclamation point.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exclamation%20point. Accessed 18 May. 2026.

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

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