Did you know?
The original meaning of punctual described a puncture made by a surgeon. The word has meant lots of other things through the centuries, usually involving being precise about small points. And today punctuality is all about time; a punctual train or a punctual payment or a punctual person shows up "on the dot".
Examples of punctual in a Sentence
the punctual delivery of the daily mail
Recent Examples on the Web
Be punctual for shore excursions and activities to avoid delays or missing out without a refund.
—
Jill Schildhouse,
Southern Living,
27 June 2026
Being punctual was something drilled into my head quite early on in my life.
—
Joseph Liu,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2026
Her employer may also be a stickler for being punctual.
—
Abigail Van Buren,
Boston Herald,
20 May 2026
Lily is in charge of these (Friends of Pacific Beach Secondary Schools) funds and her communication and punctuality are always professional and punctual.
—
Cyril A. Reinicke,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for punctual
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Jill Schildhouse,
Southern Living,
27 June 2026
Being punctual was something drilled into my head quite early on in my life.
—
Joseph Liu,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2026
Her employer may also be a stickler for being punctual.
—
Abigail Van Buren,
Boston Herald,
20 May 2026
Lily is in charge of these (Friends of Pacific Beach Secondary Schools) funds and her communication and punctuality are always professional and punctual.
—
Cyril A. Reinicke,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for punctual
Cite this Entry
“Punctual.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punctual. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
punctual
adjective
punc·tu·al
ˈpəŋ(k)-chə(-wə)l 
: acting or usually acting at an appointed time or at a regularly scheduled time
the trains were punctual
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
