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

However, after the Buccaneers, the Atlanta Falcons are a question mark as Michael Penix Jr. enters his first full season as starting quarterback and the New Orleans Saints rebuild following Derek Carr's retirement. —Dj Siddiqi, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025

The Sabres haven’t spent to the cap ceiling since the pandemic, so their willingness to pay is a legitimate question mark. —Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 22 May 2025

Noah Hoffman, vice president for retail logistics at C.H. Robinson, says the timing for Christmas imports is a question mark, with three major factors at play. —Lori Ann Larocco, CNBC, 22 May 2025

For now, the exact length of Friday Night SmackDown on the USA Network in early June remains a bit of a question mark for everyone. —Andrew Ravens‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1862, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for question mark

• disembark
• matriarch
• meadowlark
• patriarch
• watermark
• arc
• ark
• bark
• barque
• dark
• hark
• lark

Kids Definition

question mark

noun

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