question mark

noun

1

a

: something unknown, unknowable, or uncertain

b

: someone (such as an athlete) whose condition, talent, or potential for success is in doubt

2

: a mark ? used in writing and printing at the conclusion of a sentence to indicate a direct question

Examples of question mark in a Sentence

The team's pitching is a big question mark this season.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Reds have young infielders and infield prospects, but outfield remains a huge question mark. — The Athletic Mlb Staff, New York Times, 27 July 2026

Linde’s performance in Europe and the Middle East is a question mark due to the Iran war. — Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 26 July 2026

Dallas is positioned as a formidable challenger, featuring an improved secondary with Caleb Downs and a potent passing attack led by George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb, though their running game remains a question mark. — Darren Cooper, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026

While the offensive side of the ball has one of the best overall units in the NFL, the offensive tackle position is its one big question mark heading into the season. — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1862, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for question mark

• disembark
• matriarch
• meadowlark
• patriarch
• watermark
• arc
• ark
• bark
• barque
• dark
• hark
• lark

Kids Definition

question mark

noun

: a punctuation mark ? used chiefly at the end of a sentence to indicate a direct question