Past tense of exclaim; expressed or spoke suddenly and forcefully, typically due to surprise, anger, or other strong emotion.
From Latin exclāmāre, composed of ex- (out) + clāmāre (to cry or shout). The word entered English through Old French esclamer in the 14th century, maintaining its core meaning of vocal outburst or emphatic speech.
Writers often overuse 'exclaimed' as a dialogue tag, but it actually describes a specific type of speech - sudden, loud, and emotionally charged. In written dialogue, exclamation points usually make the verb redundant, since the punctuation already signals the exclamatory nature of the speech.
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