percentage
noun
per·cent·age
pər-ˈsen-tij 
1
a
: a part of a whole expressed in hundredths
a high percentage of students attended
b
: the result obtained by multiplying a number by a percent
the percentage equals the rate times the base
2
3
: an indeterminate part : proportion
4
a
b
: favorable odds
Examples of percentage in a Sentence
If a goalie saves 96 out of 100 shots, his save percentage is 96 percent.
The percentages of women completing high school and college were 95 percent and 52 percent, respectively.
What percentage of your income do you spend on rent?
Recent Examples on the Web
Illinois now ranks 20th in the country, up from 30th a year ago, for the percentage of its hospitals earning A grades for safety.
—
Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2025
In the first quarter, the company’s medical benefit ratio, which is the percentage of premium revenue that goes toward medical costs, decreased in the first quarter to 87.3% from 90.4% in the prior year.
—Bruce Japsen, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the community immunity threshold for measles — the percentage of a population that needs immunity in order to prevent the disease from significantly spreading — is between 92% and 94%.
—Ashley Fredde, Idaho Statesman, 1 May 2025
Ford builds a greater percentage of its cars at US plants than any other major automaker other than Tesla.
—Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for percentage
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Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2025
In the first quarter, the company’s medical benefit ratio, which is the percentage of premium revenue that goes toward medical costs, decreased in the first quarter to 87.3% from 90.4% in the prior year.
—Bruce Japsen, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the community immunity threshold for measles — the percentage of a population that needs immunity in order to prevent the disease from significantly spreading — is between 92% and 94%.
—Ashley Fredde, Idaho Statesman, 1 May 2025
Ford builds a greater percentage of its cars at US plants than any other major automaker other than Tesla.
—Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for percentage
Cite this Entry
“Percentage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/percentage. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
percentage
noun
per·cent·age
pər-ˈsent-ij
1
a
: a part of a whole expressed in hundredths
a high percentage of students attended
b
: the result obtained by multiplying a number by a percent
the percentage equals the rate times the base
2
a
: probability sense 3a
play the percentages
b
: favorable odds
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