Parenthesis/pəˈrenθəsɪs/ Definition 1 of 2Pro Tip 1/3Additional Info Parentheses can add non-essential details that enrich the main point. The cake recipe (which won an award) is quite complex. Pro Tip 2/3Clarity in Writing Use parentheses to avoid cluttering the sentence with commas. The ingredients – sugar, flour, and butter (among others) – are combined. Pro Tip 3/3Emphasis Reduction Information in parentheses is de-emphasized, signaling it's secondary. He finally answered (after several reminders) the email.