percentage
noun
per·cent·age
pər-ˈsen-tij 
1
a
: a part of a whole expressed in hundredths
a high percentage of students attended
b
: the result obtained by multiplying a number by a percent
the percentage equals the rate times the base
2
3
: an indeterminate part : proportion
4
a
b
: favorable odds
Examples of percentage in a Sentence
If a goalie saves 96 out of 100 shots, his save percentage is 96 percent.
The percentages of women completing high school and college were 95 percent and 52 percent, respectively.
What percentage of your income do you spend on rent?
Recent Examples on the Web
What’s more, there are unknown unknowns, such as whether even a small percentage of sunlight reduction could affect photosynthesis and have an adverse impact on agricultural crops.
—
Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2024
Research shows a small percentage of people who take metformin experience GI distress that makes the drug intolerable.
—Allison Aubrey, NPR, 22 Apr. 2024
The apprehension rate, which measures the percentage of people caught or detained by police following a pursuit, declined from 91.2% in 2010 to 38% in 2022.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2024
Consumption and Waste Enhance and expand waste reduction and diversion programs to decrease the percentage of waste sent to the landfill.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 19 Apr. 2024
By October last year, that percentage fell to about 80%.
—Ashley Okwuosa, The Examination; Amy Yurkanin, Al.com; John Diedrich, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, USA TODAY, 18 Apr. 2024
The Savage defense is anchored by goalkeeper Diego Reynoso, who went 14-2-1 with a league-best 3.31 goals-against average and finished second with a .750 save percentage.
—Ivan Carter, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Apr. 2024
The percentage of voters without an opinion on Hovde dropped down to 56% in the most recent poll.
—Jessie Opoien, Journal Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2024
The spike was the largest percentage increase among any state with more than 100 incidents, according to the ADL, with 62% of incidents taking place after Oct. 7.
—Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 16 Apr. 2024
Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2024
Research shows a small percentage of people who take metformin experience GI distress that makes the drug intolerable.
—Allison Aubrey, NPR, 22 Apr. 2024
The apprehension rate, which measures the percentage of people caught or detained by police following a pursuit, declined from 91.2% in 2010 to 38% in 2022.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2024
Consumption and Waste Enhance and expand waste reduction and diversion programs to decrease the percentage of waste sent to the landfill.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 19 Apr. 2024
By October last year, that percentage fell to about 80%.
—Ashley Okwuosa, The Examination; Amy Yurkanin, Al.com; John Diedrich, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, USA TODAY, 18 Apr. 2024
The Savage defense is anchored by goalkeeper Diego Reynoso, who went 14-2-1 with a league-best 3.31 goals-against average and finished second with a .750 save percentage.
—Ivan Carter, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Apr. 2024
The percentage of voters without an opinion on Hovde dropped down to 56% in the most recent poll.
—Jessie Opoien, Journal Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2024
The spike was the largest percentage increase among any state with more than 100 incidents, according to the ADL, with 62% of incidents taking place after Oct. 7.
—Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 16 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'percentage.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near percentage
Cite this Entry
“Percentage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/percentage. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
percentage
noun
per·cent·age
pər-ˈsent-ij
1
a
: a part of a whole expressed in hundredths
a high percentage of students attended
b
: the result obtained by multiplying a number by a percent
the percentage equals the rate times the base
2
a
: probability sense 3a
play the percentages
b
: favorable odds
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