as in emphasizes
to indicate the importance of by centering attention on
punctuated each and every word of his denial with a pound of his fist on the table
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Recent Examples of punctuates
Storrie punctuates the jab with a shot from his finger guns, which brings Johnson crumbling to the ground.
—
Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 25 Feb. 2026
Crisp dialogue punctuates the story as Clark richly shows how people actually talk to each other, from the police colleagues to families in distress.
—Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2026
The closing scene, in which the four embrace as fireworks go off, punctuates all of this onscreen thinking with external action to match.
—Niela Orr, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
The Aces success punctuates how sports have arrived in Vegas, with the Stanley Cup-winning success of the Golden Knights and imminent arrival of Major League Baseball’s Athletics.
—Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 11 Oct. 2025
There’s a tennis court, a wild swimming pool, and a whimsical folly tower that punctuates the landscape like a page from a storybook.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 1 Oct. 2025
Despite that notable change, watching One Battle After Another is much like the experience of reading Pynchon, who lurches from high comedy to stomach-turning naturalism and punctuates plot-heavy sequences with little grace notes of character portraiture.
—Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 24 Sep. 2025
This trade also punctuates just what a disaster the team’s 2024 draft was.
—The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
Sound designer Pietu Korhonen renders Olivia’s solitude palpable using gusts of wind and deafening silences while Utsav Lal’s music punctuates the film’s emotional distress and peace– from the spontaneous chorus of copla mid-bus ride to dance breaks in semi-empty bars.
—Jason Liwag, Variety, 14 Aug. 2025
Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 25 Feb. 2026
Crisp dialogue punctuates the story as Clark richly shows how people actually talk to each other, from the police colleagues to families in distress.
—Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2026
The closing scene, in which the four embrace as fireworks go off, punctuates all of this onscreen thinking with external action to match.
—Niela Orr, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
The Aces success punctuates how sports have arrived in Vegas, with the Stanley Cup-winning success of the Golden Knights and imminent arrival of Major League Baseball’s Athletics.
—Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 11 Oct. 2025
There’s a tennis court, a wild swimming pool, and a whimsical folly tower that punctuates the landscape like a page from a storybook.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 1 Oct. 2025
Despite that notable change, watching One Battle After Another is much like the experience of reading Pynchon, who lurches from high comedy to stomach-turning naturalism and punctuates plot-heavy sequences with little grace notes of character portraiture.
—Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 24 Sep. 2025
This trade also punctuates just what a disaster the team’s 2024 draft was.
—The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
Sound designer Pietu Korhonen renders Olivia’s solitude palpable using gusts of wind and deafening silences while Utsav Lal’s music punctuates the film’s emotional distress and peace– from the spontaneous chorus of copla mid-bus ride to dance breaks in semi-empty bars.
—Jason Liwag, Variety, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punctuates
Verb
-
But as O’Neill emphasizes, this process quickly becomes political.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Mar. 2026
-
The author emphasizes that these calculations illuminate the nation’s choices and values, noting that the cost extends beyond immediate expenditures to include long-term expenses such as disability payments and medical care for those injured in the conflict.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The conflict highlights a broader shift in digital advertising.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Police say the incident highlights the dangers of relying on driver-assist technology, noting those features are not a substitute for being conscious, alert and sober behind the wheel.—
Cecilio Padilla,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Drought on its own already stresses water supplies, agriculture, and ecosystems.—
Daniel Manzo,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
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But Johnson stresses that this approach may not work for everyone—and that’s OK, too.—
Korin Miller,
SELF,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The decal features a common saying in intelligence circles.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The neighborhood features the Dilworth historic district, known for its 19th-century luxury estates.—
Chase Jordan
March 30,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Punctuates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punctuates. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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