question mark

noun

1
a
: something unknown, unknowable, or uncertain
b
: someone (such as an athlete) whose condition, talent, or potential for success is in doubt
2
: a mark ? used in writing and printing at the conclusion of a sentence to indicate a direct question

Examples of question mark in a Sentence

The team's pitching is a big question mark this season.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
How does that look is a big question mark for me. Jordan Bianchi, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026 Christian McCaffrey went from a question mark to an exclamation point Thursday night when the 49ers’ running back was named the NFL’s Associated Press Comeback Player of the Year at honors night at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2026 Though fans witnessed the tense confrontation between Lucy MacLean (Ella Purnell) and her father, Hank (Kyle MacLachlan), the fate of The Ghoul's (Walton Goggins) family remains a question mark. Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 4 Feb. 2026 The following year, the win total improved to five, but Young also spent some time on the bench, leaving plenty of question marks. Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 3 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for question mark

Word History

First Known Use

1862, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of question mark was in 1862

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Question mark.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/question%20mark. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

question mark

noun
: a punctuation mark ? used chiefly at the end of a sentence to indicate a direct question

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