punctuate

verb

punc·​tu·​ate ˈpəŋk-chə-ˌwāt 

punctuated; punctuating

transitive verb

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

3

: accentuate, emphasize

intransitive verb

: to use punctuation marks

punctuator

ˈpəŋk-chə-ˌwā-tər 

noun

Synonyms of punctuate

• emphasize
• highlight
• stress
• feature

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

And though the Valks punctuated the run with a prolific 31-point outlay in the third quarter, Nakase harped on the defensive end of the floor as the true catalyst that accelerated the Valkyries’ comeback. — Christian Babcock, Mercury News, 5 Aug. 2026

With the offense in a third-and-goal situation from the 6-yard line, all eyes were on the unit to punctuate its most successful day of practice so far. — Miami Herald, 1 Aug. 2026

Surf-rock riffs, punctuated with pockets of silence, eventually slacken in tempo for a glorious, slo-mo finish. — Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026

Abdul Carter punctuated a dominant day by getting a sack on quarterback Jaxson Dart after flying off the left edge unblocked on a fourth-and-4, as the offense drove in a two-minute situation at the end of practice. — Dan Duggan, New York Times, 30 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin punctuatus, past participle of punctuare to point, provide with punctuation marks, from Latin punctus point

First Known Use

circa 1766, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for punctuate

• abate
• airfreight
• await
• baseplate
• berate
• birthdate
• birthrate
• bookplate
• borate
• breastplate
• bromate
• casemate

Kids 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