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
The MorphoScan’s body fat percentage calculations skewed high compared with both the HumeHealth Body Pod and the Etekcity Smart Scale.
—
Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 5 Apr. 2026
Armed with the mental toughness gained from their mind gym, the Bruins held South Carolina to its lowest first-quarter shooting percentage of the tournament.
—Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 5 Apr. 2026
The high-percentage shooting from Aday Mara and Elliott Cadeau’s ability to knock down the long-range shot was more than enough for the Wolverines to get the win.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 5 Apr. 2026
Reagan oversaw a 186% increase in the national debt– the biggest percentage increase in over 70 years.
—Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for percentage
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Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 5 Apr. 2026
Armed with the mental toughness gained from their mind gym, the Bruins held South Carolina to its lowest first-quarter shooting percentage of the tournament.
—Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 5 Apr. 2026
The high-percentage shooting from Aday Mara and Elliott Cadeau’s ability to knock down the long-range shot was more than enough for the Wolverines to get the win.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 5 Apr. 2026
Reagan oversaw a 186% increase in the national debt– the biggest percentage increase in over 70 years.
—Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for percentage
Cite this Entry
“Percentage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/percentage. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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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