point at, point to, point out

Someone points to or at a person, object or direction.

  • The hikers saw their guide point to the west before disappearing from view.
  • Sainoor’s dad pointed at her shirt on the floor and then pointed at (or to) the closet.

Someone or circumstances may point to or indicate important facts.

  • The Prime Minister pointed to the election results to show that she had widespread support.
  • Gerald’s stuffy nose, sore throat and lack of energy all pointed to one inescapable fact: he had a cold.

A person points out or draws attention to something. Other synonyms for point out include refer to, mention or bring to (someone’s) attention.

  • The officer pointed out that I was speeding.
  • The owner’s manual pointed out (referred to) the car’s new safety features.
  • Managers will point out (mention) the new regulations to their staff at the next meeting.

Copyright notice for Writing Tips Plus

© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Public Services and Procurement
A tool created and made available online by the Translation Bureau, Public Services and Procurement Canada

Search by related themes

Want to learn more about a theme discussed on this page? Click on a link below to see all the pages on the Language Portal of Canada that relate to the theme you selected. The search results will be displayed in Language Navigator.