A paragraph is a sectiona part of a larger piece of writing or something else of writing that groups relatedconnected by a shared topic, purpose, or relationship ideas together. It is also a verb meaning to divideto separate into smaller parts or sections text into paragraphs or to write about someone or something in a paragraph.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-12. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˈpærəˌɡræf/
Easy pronunciation: PAIR-uh-GRAF (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the first syllable, with secondary stress on the last syllable.
Noun sense: a section of writing with one main idea.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-12. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Paragraph Meaning
a section of writing that focuses on one main idea
Part of speech: noun
Definition: one of several distinct subdivisions of a text intended to separate ideas; the beginning is usually marked by a new indented line
Example: Please start a new paragraph for each main point.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-12. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Paragraph
Meaning 2
to format text into paragraphs
Part of speech: verb
Definition: divide into paragraphs, as of text
Example: The editor paragraphed the article for easier reading.
Meaning 3
to describe someone or something in a paragraph
Part of speech: verb
Definition: write about in a paragraph
Example: The newspaper paragraphed the award winners in the weekend edition.
Meaning 4
to write paragraphs as a job or habit
Part of speech: verb
Definition: write paragraphs; work as a paragrapher
Example: She paragraphed for a local magazine before becoming an editor.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-12. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not confuse the noun paragraph with the verb paragraph.
- A paragraph is not just any short piece of writing; it is a distinct section of text separated from others.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-12. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does paragraph mean?
As a noun, a paragraph is a separate section of writing that presents one main idea or related ideas. As a verb, it can mean to divide text into paragraphs or to write about someone or something in paragraph form.
What are common synonyms for paragraph?
For the noun, there are no strong one-word synonyms that exactly match every use. In general writing, people may use terms like section or passage in some contexts, but they are not perfect substitutes.
What is the difference between a paragraph and a sentence?
A sentence is one complete statement. A paragraph is a group of one or more sentences that work together around a single idea.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-12. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.