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

After last year’s surprise run to the playoffs, there are fewer question marks surrounding the Rams this fall. —Adam Grosbard, Orange County Register, 4 Sep. 2024

The number of fires that have started so far is typical for this period of the summer, but intense early summer heat waves have dried out the landscape and raised the wildfire risk, turning a seasonal outlook that had looked relatively rosy into a major question mark. —Evan Bush, NBC News, 19 July 2024

So when Lynn took over, there was understandably no bigger question mark on the roster than the defensive front, which seemed even thinner on difference-makers and depth than the group that ranked 119th in the nation in rush defense. —Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2024

Whether these sorts of initiatives can work at scale is a question mark, however. —Elliot Haspel, The Atlantic, 23 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1862, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

question mark

noun

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