WordLens

punctuate

1 of 1verb
/ˈpʌŋktʃueɪt/
Forms:punctuates,punctuating,punctuated,punctuated
1

to use punctuation marks in a text in order to make it more understandable

C1
  • When you write an essay, it is important to punctuate your sentences correctly to ensure that your ideas are clearly communicated.
  • The teacher reminded the students to punctuate their dialogue with quotation marks to indicate when a character is speaking.
  • To avoid run-on sentences, you should punctuate with periods, commas, and semicolons where appropriate.
  • He realized he needed to punctuate his email more carefully after receiving feedback that it was difficult to read.
  • Learning how to punctuate complex sentences with colons and dashes can greatly improve your writing style and clarity.
Synonyms:
2

to interrupt or break up an activity, event, or sequence at intervals

  • Laughter punctuated the otherwise serious meeting.
  • The speech was punctuated by frequent applause.
  • Her narration was punctuated with anecdotes.
  • The lecture was punctuated by questions from students.
  • Thunder punctuated the quiet of the night.
3

to emphasize or mark something as important

  • The teacher punctuated the key points of the lesson.
  • He punctuated his argument with a striking example.
  • The report punctuated the urgency of the situation.
  • The presenter punctuated the statistics to highlight their significance.
  • Her gestures punctuated the emotional weight of the speech.