punctuate
verb
punc·tu·ate
ˈpəŋk-chə-ˌwāt 
punctuated; punctuating
1
: to mark or divide (written matter) with punctuation marks
2
: to break into or interrupt at intervals
the steady click of her needles punctuated the silence—
Edith Wharton
Edith Wharton3
: to use punctuation marks
Examples of punctuate in a Sentence
Do you know how to punctuate a sentence correctly?
punctuated each and every word of his denial with a pound of his fist on the table
Recent Examples on the Web
Instead, tribal members have relied on a single power line that runs roughly 30 miles east and west across high desert punctuated by three distinctive mesas, home to 12 distinct villages, including some of the oldest inhabited communities in the United States.
—Nate Perez, NPR, 7 Oct. 2025
Enormous glowing planets hung overhead; others were installed at ground level, punctuating the venue’s gleaming black floor.
—Fiona Sinclair Scott, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2025
Howden, a backup pressed into action by injuries to both starting safeties, raced 86 yards for a touchdown that punctuated a 26-14 Saints win.
—Dan Duggan, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
Chocolate brown stripes punctuate a light charcoal gray background, and the low-pile weave made from recycled polyester gives it an impermeable, easy-to-clean surface.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punctuate
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Nate Perez, NPR, 7 Oct. 2025
Enormous glowing planets hung overhead; others were installed at ground level, punctuating the venue’s gleaming black floor.
—Fiona Sinclair Scott, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2025
Howden, a backup pressed into action by injuries to both starting safeties, raced 86 yards for a touchdown that punctuated a 26-14 Saints win.
—Dan Duggan, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
Chocolate brown stripes punctuate a light charcoal gray background, and the low-pile weave made from recycled polyester gives it an impermeable, easy-to-clean surface.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punctuate
Cite this Entry
“Punctuate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punctuate. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
punctuate
verb
punc·tu·ate
ˈpəŋ(k)-chə-ˌwāt
punctuated; punctuating
1
: to mark or divide with punctuation marks
2
: to interrupt at intervals
a speech punctuated by a harsh cough
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