exclamation
gb/ˌɛkskləmˈeɪʃən/ us/ˌɛkskləmˈeɪʃən/
B1
English
~ 5200
felkiáltás, felkiáltójel
NOUN
B2
1
felkiáltás
B1
Usage pattern:
an exclamation of [emotion]
She gave a small exclamation of surprise when she saw the gift.
Amikor meglátta az ajándékot, egy halk, meglepett felkiáltást hallatott.
With an exclamation of pain, he pulled his hand away from the hot pan.
Fájdalmas felkiáltással rántotta el a kezét a forró serpenyőtől.
There was an exclamation of delight from the children when the lights came on.
His exclamation of anger shocked everyone in the room.
The crowd responded with exclamations of disbelief as the result was announced.
Learner examples
Maria gave an exclamation of joy when she passed the exam.
Maria örömteli felkiáltást hallatott, amikor átment a vizsgán.
He let out an exclamation of fear when the dog barked.
Ijedt felkiáltást hallatott, amikor a kutya ugatni kezdett.
I heard an exclamation of pain from the next room.
The teacher’s joke caused exclamations of surprise from the class.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "exclamation" with "explanation" because the words look similar. "Exclamation" is a sudden, emotional sound or word; "explanation" is a clear reason or description. Learners may also try to use a verb form *"exclamationed"*; the correct verb is usually "exclaim".
Meaning
sudden cry showing strong feeling
Collocations
an exclamation of surprise
|an exclamation of pain
|an exclamation of delight
|with an exclamation
|a loud exclamation
|a sudden exclamation
Synonyms
cry (Less formal and more general; can be any loud call, not only one showing sudden emotion.)
|
shout (Focuses more on loudness and volume, not necessarily on the suddenness or emotional shock.)
Antonyms
silence (Opposite because it is the absence of any spoken sound, especially when an emotional reaction might be expected.)
Themes
communication
|emotions
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A short, loud word or sound that you say when you suddenly feel a strong emotion, like surprise or pain.
A sudden word, phrase, or sound spoken loudly to express a strong feeling such as surprise, anger, pleasure, or pain.
NOUN
B1
2
felkiáltójel
A2
Usage pattern:
put an exclamation mark after [sentence]
In English, we use an exclamation after sentences that show strong emotion.
Az angolban felkiáltójelet használunk az erős érzelmet kifejező mondatok után.
You don't need an exclamation at the end of every message; it can sound too excited.
Nem kell minden üzenet végére felkiáltójelet tenni; ettől túl lelkesnek hathat.
The teacher circled all the exclamations in red to show they were unnecessary.
Please put an exclamation after "Congratulations" in the card.
Writers are often advised to limit their use of exclamations in formal texts.
Learner examples
Write this sentence again, but add an exclamation at the end.
Írd le újra ezt a mondatot, de tegyél felkiáltójelet a végére.
This sign has three big exclamations on it.
Ezen a táblán három nagy felkiáltójel van.
I think you use too many exclamations in your emails.
The teacher showed us how to use an exclamation in a sentence.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say "question mark" correctly but forget to say "exclamation mark" or "exclamation point" and just say "exclamation". In many contexts, especially in teaching, you should say the full term, like "Add an exclamation mark here."
Meaning
punctuation symbol: !
Collocations
exclamation mark
|exclamation point
|end with an exclamation
|add an exclamation
|use an exclamation
|too many exclamation marks
Synonyms
exclamation mark (The full and most common term in British and many international varieties of English; specifies that it is a punctuation mark.)
|
exclamation point (The usual term in American English for the punctuation mark (!).)
Antonyms
full stop (A basic sentence-ending punctuation mark that shows a neutral statement rather than strong emotion or emphasis.)
Themes
language
|education
|writing
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
The writing sign (!) that you put after a word or sentence to show strong feeling or importance.
The punctuation mark (!) used after a word or sentence to show strong feeling, shouting, a command, or strong emphasis.
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
3
felkiáltás
B2
Usage pattern:
an exclamation like [word/phrase]
In this dialogue, most of the exclamations come from the youngest character.
Ebben a párbeszédben a felkiáltások többsége a legfiatalabb szereplő szájából hangzik el.
Words like "Wow" and "Ouch" are common exclamations in English.
Az angolban az olyan szavak, mint a „Wow” és az „Ouch”, gyakori felkiáltásnak számítanak.
The teacher asked the class to rewrite the exclamation as a neutral statement.
Some languages mark exclamations differently from questions in their grammar.
The script is full of short exclamations that show the character’s impatience.
Learner examples
The word "Hey" is often used as an exclamation.
A „Hey” szót gyakran felkiáltásként használják.
The child’s exclamation, "Look!", made everyone turn their head.
A gyerek „Nézzétek!” felkiáltására mindenki odafordította a fejét.
We learned that "What a day!" is an exclamation in English.
In comics, exclamations are often written in big letters.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse the general idea of an exclamation (a sudden emotional sound) with the more technical grammar meaning (a sentence type). In grammar books, "exclamation" usually talks about sentence function, not just loudness.
Meaning
grammatical exclamative word or sentence
Collocations
a short exclamation
|a single-word exclamation
|an exclamation sentence
|an exclamation in the dialogue
|grammatical exclamation
|emotional exclamation
Synonyms
exclamative (Technical grammar term that can function as an adjective or noun; more specialized and less common in everyday usage.)
Antonyms
declarative sentence (A sentence type whose main function is to state information, not to express sudden strong emotion.)
Themes
language
|grammar
|education
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A word or sentence that is used mainly to show a strong feeling, and not to give information or ask a question.
A word, phrase, or sentence whose main function is to express strong emotion or reaction, often with special exclamative grammar and usually written with an exclamation mark.
Grammar
Dictionary form
exclamation
IPA
GB/ˌɛkskləmˈeɪʃən/
US/ˌɛkskləmˈeɪʃən/
Syllables & stress
ex - clam - a - tion (4 syllables)
Stress on 3rd syllable (a)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: exclamation
- Plural: exclamation, exclamations
Word family
Expressions
exclamation mark
1/ˌɛkskləmˈeɪʃən mˈɑɹk/
fixed phrase
name of punctuation mark: !
The punctuation sign (!) that you put after a word or sentence to show strong feeling, shouting, or importance.
Examples
- Remember to put an exclamation mark after "Happy birthday".
- In formal writing, you should not use too many exclamation marks.
- The teacher asked the children to circle every exclamation mark in the story.
exclamation point
1/ˌɛkskləmˈeɪʃən pˈɔɪnt/
fixed phrase
US term for: ! punctuation mark
The American English name for the punctuation sign (!), used after a word or sentence to show strong feeling or importance.
Examples
- In American English, many people say "exclamation point" instead of "exclamation mark".
- Text messages today often use more than one exclamation point.
- She ended the sentence with an exclamation point to show excitement.