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
The lowest percentage is in the South, where about 19% were able to prebook.
—
George Petras, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2026
The Avalanche led the league essentially wire-to-wire, placing first in wins, points, goals for, goals against, penalty-kill percentage, goal differential and save percentage.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 18 Apr. 2026
Banchero had career highs in field goal percentage and rebounds per game this year.
—CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
That is by design — Boston will gladly trade above-the-break threes, especially by shakier shooters, for higher-percentage attempts near the rim — and the strategy worked quite well.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 18 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for percentage
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George Petras, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2026
The Avalanche led the league essentially wire-to-wire, placing first in wins, points, goals for, goals against, penalty-kill percentage, goal differential and save percentage.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 18 Apr. 2026
Banchero had career highs in field goal percentage and rebounds per game this year.
—CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
That is by design — Boston will gladly trade above-the-break threes, especially by shakier shooters, for higher-percentage attempts near the rim — and the strategy worked quite well.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 18 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for percentage
Cite this Entry
“Percentage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/percentage. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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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