SKIP TO CONTENT

exclamation mark

/ˈɛkskləˌmeɪʃən mɑrk/
/ɛkskləˈmeɪʃən mɑk/
IPA guide

Other forms: exclamation marks

An exclamation mark is the punctuation you use to express strong feelings. If you want your friend to know how thrilled you are about their good news, end your text message with an exclamation mark!

Nothing's better for expressing enthusiasm in writing than an exclamation mark: "Congratulations on that big award you won — I'm so happy for you!" It's equally useful for other kinds of emphasis, like a warning: "Wasps! Run!" Also called an exclamation point, this punctuation mark has been known by several other names, including shriekmark in the 1860s.

Definitions of exclamation mark
  1. noun
    a punctuation mark (!) used to indicate emotion
    synonyms: exclamation point
    see moresee less
    type of:
    punctuation, punctuation mark
    the marks used to clarify meaning by indicating separation of words into sentences and clauses and phrases
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘exclamation mark'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family