marked

American  

[mahrkt, mahr-kid] / mɑrkt, ˈmɑr kɪd /

adjective

1. strikingly noticeable; conspicuous.

   with marked success.

   Synonyms:

   prominent, obvious, outstanding, striking

2. watched as an object of suspicion or vengeance.

   a marked man.

3. having a mark or marks.

   beautifully marked birds; to read the marked pages.

4. Linguistics.

   1. (of a phoneme) characterized by the presence of a phonological feature that serves to distinguish it from an otherwise similar phoneme lacking that feature, as (d), which, in contrast to (t), is characterized by the presence of voicing.

   2. characterized by the presence of a marker indicating the grammatical function of a construction, as the plural in English, which, in contrast to the singular, is typically indicated by the presence of the marker -s.

   3. specifying an additional element of meaning, in contrast to a semantically related item, as drake in contrast to duck, where drake specifies “male” while duck does not necessarily specify sex.

   4. occurring less typically than an alternative form, as the word order in Down he fell in contrast to the more usual order of He fell down.

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marked British  

/ ˈmɑːkɪdlɪ, mɑːkt /

adjective

1. obvious, evident, or noticeable

2. singled out, esp for punishment, killing, etc

   a marked man

3. linguistics distinguished by a specific feature, as in phonology. For example, of the two phonemes /t/ and /d/, the /d/ is marked because it exhibits the feature of voice

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• markedness
  noun
• well-marked
  adjective
• markedly
  adverb
• half-marked
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of marked

Middle English; Old English gemearcod; see mark ¹, -ed ²

Explanation

Marked is an adjective meaning “clear” or “noticeable.” Filling your living room with pictures of pandas will show your marked appreciation for all things panda. The adjective marked can have several senses. In addition to meaning “very noticeable,” it can be used in relation to the noun mark, as in “to show a mark.” You may have also heard the expression a “marked man.” Marked in this sense means to have been chosen for punishment or a bad ending. Trip your opponent in this year’s field day sack race, and you will likely find yourself a marked man at the next contest.

Example Sentences

The lot was valued at between £500-£800 and came in a box marked as belonging to an anatomy class at the University of Glasgow.

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

"The fans are just brutal here," said Guercio, who remembers a 2000s rough patch marked by six straight seasons without a playoff berth and the "dirt chanting" directed at coach Isiah Thomas.

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

The tensions between the U.S. and Israel are becoming a defining characteristic of the current phase of the war, much as unprecedented close cooperation between the two allies marked its beginning.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

Just one week later, it was marked as “pending” sale, and records now show that the deal officially closed on June 1—with a final price of $9.6 million.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 8, 2026

Both groups would walk toward the middle of the bridge, where a white line marked the border between East and West.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

• considerable
• conspicuous
• decided
• distinct
• notable
• noticeable
• pronounced
• remarkable
• striking