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

a

: a share of winnings or profits

b

: advantage, profit

no percentage in going around looking like an old sack of laundry

—Wallace Stegner

3

: an indeterminate part : proportion

4

a

: probability

b

: favorable odds

Synonyms of percentage

• probability
• 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

This category can include assets under management, or AUM, which is typically a set percentage each year and varies by the size of your portfolio. — Kate Dore, Cfp®, Ea,kelli Grant, Cfp®, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026

Among those surveyed, Hinson held a 1-percentage-point advantage over Turek, 48% to 47%, well within the 5-point margin of error from the survey. — Gabrielle M. Etzel, The Washington Examiner, 8 Oct. 2026

Barry Bonds wraps up his record-breaking season with his 73rd homer and shatters the slugging percentage record that Babe Ruth had owned for 81 years. — Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026

The abstention percentage is the highest since 1998 for a first round. — ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1757, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing percentage

• fielding percentage
• no percentage
• on-base percentage
• percentage point
• slugging percentage

Rhymes for percentage

• centage

Kids 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