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
Contributions to the Universal Service Fund are based on a percentage of carriers' revenue, and telecommunications companies can, and do, pass on their share to consumers.
—
Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2025
This season, the Sabres are 30th in the NHL in attendance by average percentage of capacity with 84 percent.
—Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
As one example, loans could be offered only for programs that can show that a reasonable percentage of graduates — half, say — earn a salary higher than the median high school graduate or bachelor’s degree recipient.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 26 Mar. 2025
The Giants have replaced Daniel Jones with two quarterbacks who have won a higher percentage of their games and gotten in the end zone more often during the past three NFL seasons.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for percentage
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Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2025
This season, the Sabres are 30th in the NHL in attendance by average percentage of capacity with 84 percent.
—Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
As one example, loans could be offered only for programs that can show that a reasonable percentage of graduates — half, say — earn a salary higher than the median high school graduate or bachelor’s degree recipient.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 26 Mar. 2025
The Giants have replaced Daniel Jones with two quarterbacks who have won a higher percentage of their games and gotten in the end zone more often during the past three NFL seasons.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for percentage
Cite this Entry
“Percentage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/percentage. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.
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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