Meaning & use

Brackets

noun·Everyday

Last updated

Paired punctuation marks, such as [ ] or ( ), used to enclose text or set it apart from the surrounding material.

See it in a sentence

Add your comments in brackets so readers know they are not part of the original quote.

Her salary falls in the highest tax bracket this year.

A note on using this word

Beyond punctuation, "brackets" also refers to support fixtures (like shelf brackets), to categories or ranges such as income or age brackets, and to the diagram of matchups in a tournament.

Words with a similar meaning

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Another way to use it

2. noun

A category or range into which people or things fall, such as an income or age group.

Most first-time buyers fall into the lower price bracket.

3. noun

A rigid support fixture attached to a wall to hold a shelf or fixture.

He screwed a metal bracket into the wall to hold the bookshelf.

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