Exclamation
/ˌɛkskləˈmeɪʃən/
Definitions
2 meaningsA sudden utterance expressing strong emotion or feeling, such as surprise, joy, anger, or excitement.
/ˌɛkskləˈmeɪʃən/
A sudden cry or remark expressing strong emotion.
The audience erupted in exclamations of delight.
💡 Simply: It's like yelling or saying something suddenly because you feel something really strong, like 'Wow!' or 'Ouch!' when you are excited or surprised. You can usually hear it in the tone of voice, or see it in the sentence's punctuation like '!'
👶 For kids: When you say something like 'Yay!' or 'Uh-oh!' because you feel really happy, or surprised, or sad. It's like a loud shout!
More Examples
Her exclamation of 'Eureka!' revealed her discovery.
He responded with an exclamation of disbelief.
How It's Used
"The child let out an exclamation of joy when she saw the puppy."
"The author used several exclamations to emphasize the character's surprise."
The act of expressing something suddenly and vehemently.
/ˌɛkskləˈmeɪʃən/
The act of exclaiming.
His exclamation filled the room with surprise.
💡 Simply: The act of saying something with a lot of feeling. Like a verbal exclamation.
👶 For kids: When you're making the exclamation, it's you saying something with a big feeling!
More Examples
The crowd's exclamation of support was deafening.
The act of exclaiming is often marked by raised voices and intense emotion.
How It's Used
"Exclamation is often signaled by an exclamation point."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
Idioms & expressions
exclamation point
The punctuation mark (!) used to indicate an exclamation or strong emotion.
"She ended her sentence with an exclamation point!"
From Latin *exclamatio* ("a shouting out"), from *exclamare* ("to cry out, exclaim"), from *ex-* ("out") + *clamare* ("to cry, shout").
The word 'exclamation' has been used since the 14th century, initially referring to a sudden and loud cry or outcry.
Memory tip
Think of the '!' symbol; it shows a sudden burst of feeling.
Word Origin
"to cry out"