diff --git a/config.def.h b/config.def.h
index 482901e..9ce45a7 100644
--- a/config.def.h
+++ b/config.def.h
@@ -28,11 +28,12 @@ static float cwscale = 1.0;
 static float chscale = 1.0;
 
 /*
- * word delimiter string
+ * all space and punctuation characters are considered word delimiters, unless
+ * listed here.
  *
- * More advanced example: L" `'\"()[]{}"
+ * More advanced example: L"#$%&+,-./:=?_~"
  */
-wchar_t *worddelimiters = L" ";
+wchar_t *extrawordchars = L"./:";
 
 /* selection timeouts (in milliseconds) */
 static unsigned int doubleclicktimeout = 300;
diff --git a/st.c b/st.c
index 812f30c..c383b43 100644
--- a/st.c
+++ b/st.c
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #include <termios.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <wchar.h>
+#include <wctype.h>
 
 #include "st.h"
 #include "win.h"
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@
 #define ISCONTROLC0(c)		(BETWEEN(c, 0, 0x1f) || (c) == '\177')
 #define ISCONTROLC1(c)		(BETWEEN(c, 0x80, 0x9f))
 #define ISCONTROL(c)		(ISCONTROLC0(c) || ISCONTROLC1(c))
-#define ISDELIM(u)		(u != 0 && wcschr(worddelimiters, u) != NULL)
+#define ISDELIM(u)		((iswspace(u) || iswpunct(u)) && wcschr(extrawordchars, u) == NULL)
 
 enum term_mode {
 	MODE_WRAP        = 1 << 0,
diff --git a/st.h b/st.h
index 4da3051..a3b19de 100644
--- a/st.h
+++ b/st.h
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ char *xstrdup(char *);
 extern char *utmp;
 extern char *stty_args;
 extern char *vtiden;
-extern wchar_t *worddelimiters;
+extern wchar_t *extrawordchars;
 extern int allowaltscreen;
 extern char *termname;
 extern unsigned int tabspaces;