as in emphasizing
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 punctuating
The half-dozen screens punctuating the show with this gesture offer potent and campy but all-too-serious reminders that anger and nostalgia for a world of white supremacy are not dead.
—
Horace D. Ballard, Artforum, 22 Apr. 2026
The confab came a day after the S & P 500 closed at its first record high since late January, punctuating its dramatic comeback from the Iran war sell-off.
—Kevin Stankiewicz,alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2026
Khori Bennett added the Switchbacks’ third and final goal in the 84th minute, punctuating Colorado Springs’ stunning upset over a higher-division opponent.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 15 Apr. 2026
Michigan finished the job, punctuating a remarkable two-year turnaround for May, who arrived at Michigan in 2024 after taking Florida Atlantic to the Final Four in 2023.
—Justin Williams, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2026
There are dozens of picturesque villages punctuating the landscapes in and around the mountains, making plentiful pit stops a must on your journey through the Dolomites.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 8 Feb. 2026
Carpenter accessorized with peep-toe mules, punctuating her look with her go-to blonde curls.
—Hannah Malach, InStyle, 4 Feb. 2026
Delivered with an ease that flirts with comedy, it can be taken as humor punctuating drama.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 27 Jan. 2026
There were no laughs, with the audience remaining silent and punctuating parts of Kimmel’s speech with a big applause.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 26 Jan. 2026
Horace D. Ballard, Artforum, 22 Apr. 2026
The confab came a day after the S & P 500 closed at its first record high since late January, punctuating its dramatic comeback from the Iran war sell-off.
—Kevin Stankiewicz,alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2026
Khori Bennett added the Switchbacks’ third and final goal in the 84th minute, punctuating Colorado Springs’ stunning upset over a higher-division opponent.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 15 Apr. 2026
Michigan finished the job, punctuating a remarkable two-year turnaround for May, who arrived at Michigan in 2024 after taking Florida Atlantic to the Final Four in 2023.
—Justin Williams, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2026
There are dozens of picturesque villages punctuating the landscapes in and around the mountains, making plentiful pit stops a must on your journey through the Dolomites.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 8 Feb. 2026
Carpenter accessorized with peep-toe mules, punctuating her look with her go-to blonde curls.
—Hannah Malach, InStyle, 4 Feb. 2026
Delivered with an ease that flirts with comedy, it can be taken as humor punctuating drama.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 27 Jan. 2026
There were no laughs, with the audience remaining silent and punctuating parts of Kimmel’s speech with a big applause.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 26 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punctuating
Verb
-
The series poignantly addresses the complexities of teenage struggles, particularly through Justin’s undiagnosed ADHD and Keisha’s experience of trauma, emphasizing the importance of unconditional support and the intersection of mental health with race and class in today’s world.—
Brande Victorian,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Apr. 2026
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In addition to emphasizing neighbors helping neighbors, the Buy Nothing groups build community through the gift economy.—
Janice Phelan,
Kansas City Star,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
PokĂ©mon cards, highlighting what appears to be an ever-growing demand for merchandise from the popular childhood card game.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Welcome to the Tuesday, April 21, 2026, private school baseball and softball edition of the Fastball, a Star-Telegram series highlighting Fort Worth-area teams.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The same instinct shows up in the lifestyle creator influencer accent, characterized by uptalk and the lengthening and extra stressing on words.—
Rachel Hale,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
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The authors take aim at TRIPS and TRIPS-Plus agreements by stressing the dangers of a colonialism of information that ignores individual countries’ political and economic circumstances.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
After some pre-interview banter, Taccone says something that is kind of unusual about a movie featuring a couple that literally wants to kill each other.—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
22 Apr. 2026
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The World Jane Goodall Inspired, a collection created by Vital Impacts featuring works by Nick Brandt, Frans Lanting, Cristina Mittermeier, Steve Winter, Ami Vitale, Jim Naughten, among others.—
PhotoVogue,
Vogue,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Punctuating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punctuating. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
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