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Synonyms

classified

American  
[klas-uh-fahyd] / ˈklæs əˌfaɪd /

adjective

  1. arranged or distributed in classes or according to class.

    We plan to review all the classified specimens in the laboratory.

  2. designating the part or parts of a publication that contain advertisements or lists arranged by category.

    The classified section of our little local newspaper is full of ads for garage sales and cleaning ladies.

  3. (of information, a document, etc.)

    1. available only to authorized persons.

    2. bearing the designation classified.

  4. confidential or secret.

    The firm's promotional budget for next year is classified information.

  5. identified as belonging to a specific group or category, as one to which benefits or restrictions apply.

    Classified buildings are eligible for state-funded restoration. The bank has a list of classified customers to whom it will not make large loans.


classified British  
/ ˈklæsɪˌfaɪd /

adjective

  1. arranged according to some system of classification

  2. government (of information) not available to people outside a restricted group, esp for reasons of national security

  3. (of information) closely concealed or secret

  4. (of advertisements in newspapers, etc) arranged according to type

  5. (of newspapers) containing sports results, esp football results

  6. (of British roads) having a number in the national road system. If the number is preceded by an M the road is a motorway, if by an A it is a first-class road, and if by a B it is a secondary road

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What does classified mean? Classified means categorized or labeled in some way.Classified has several different meanings that all have to do with things being sorted in a certain way. It is commonly used to mean secret or confidential, as in that information is classified.Example: The agency keeps a list of people who have been classified as security risks.

Other Word Forms

  • nonclassified adjective
  • superclassified adjective
  • well-classified adjective

Etymology

Origin of classified

First recorded in 1885–90; 1940–45 classified for def. 3; classify + -ed 2

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Anthropic was the only developer approved for classified use before the deal between xAI and the military.

From The Wall Street Journal

Claude’s integration into classified military systems and its superior capabilities for defense applications create practical arguments for unrestricted access.

From Los Angeles Times

America’s adversaries are always searching for an edge—advance warning of a military strike, a window into classified decision-making, a tool to sow panic in financial markets.

From The Wall Street Journal

Because most of the work was classified as secret, West avoided talking about her job outside the office.

From The Wall Street Journal

The release of the 153 classified files generated enormous expectation - so much so that the government web page where the documents were to be posted collapsed temporarily.

From BBC