Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
A semicolon is a punctuation mark that indicates a stronger pause than a comma but less finality than a period. It connects two closely related independent clauses within one sentence.
Related terms
Colon vs. Semicolon: Understanding the difference between using colons and semicolons correctly.
Independent Clause: A group of words that can stand alone as a complete sentence.
Conjunction: A word used to connect words, phrases, or clauses within a sentence.