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
As loyalty and conformity often disguised as anticommunism suppressed the fervency for civil rights that punctuated the war years, Du Bois’s conflict increased in intensity for a Black America expecting an improved quality of life in peacetime.
—Literary Hub, 21 Jan. 2026
Jamal Murray drained a three-pointer from almost three-quarters court at the buzzer to punctuate a chaotic final 35 seconds that was preceded by Doncic’s 13th technical foul of the season and featured an 8-0 run for the Nuggets.
—Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
As the show progressed, bold pops of red punctuated the neutral palette.
—Mecca Pryor, Essence, 21 Jan. 2026
Manager Rob Thomson punctuated the Phillies' postseason clinchers over the years with a call-and-response in the clubhouse, asking Realmuto how many more wins were needed to win the World Series.
—CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for punctuate
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Literary Hub, 21 Jan. 2026
Jamal Murray drained a three-pointer from almost three-quarters court at the buzzer to punctuate a chaotic final 35 seconds that was preceded by Doncic’s 13th technical foul of the season and featured an 8-0 run for the Nuggets.
—Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
As the show progressed, bold pops of red punctuated the neutral palette.
—Mecca Pryor, Essence, 21 Jan. 2026
Manager Rob Thomson punctuated the Phillies' postseason clinchers over the years with a call-and-response in the clubhouse, asking Realmuto how many more wins were needed to win the World Series.
—CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for punctuate
Cite this Entry
“Punctuate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punctuate. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.
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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