married

American  

[mar-eed] / ˈmær id /

adjective

1. united in wedlock; wedded.

   married couples.

2. of or relating to marriage or married persons; connubial; conjugal.

   married happiness.

3. (of an antique) created from components of two or more authentic pieces.

4. interconnected or joined; united.

5. (of a family name) acquired through marriage.

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noun

1. Usually marrieds. married couples or married people.

   young marrieds moving into their first home.

married British  

/ ˈmærɪd /

adjective

1. having a husband or wife

2. joined in marriage

   a married couple

3. of or involving marriage or married persons

4. closely or intimately united

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noun

1. (usually plural) a married person (esp in the phrase young marrieds )

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• marriedly
  adverb
• unmarried
  adjective
• well-married
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of married

Middle English word dating back to 1325–75; see origin at marry ¹, -ed ²

Explanation

Married people are legally committed to each other — they're joined in marriage, or wedded. Even though you may feel emotionally committed to your mate, you need to legally tie the know to be considered married. A married couple has made an official, legal agreement to be partners. If your many brothers and sisters are all married, it means you have a lot of sisters- and brothers-in-law (the spouses of your siblings). You can also use married to describe things that have something to do with marriage: "Those two are the picture of married bliss." The Latin root of married is maritare, "to wed or to marry."

Example Sentences

Mejia said Sokoloff’s mother — married to Jonathan Sokoloff, managing partner of private equity firm Leonard Green & Partners — was trying to bankroll the seat for her son.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2026

“Nor can they explain why labor participation rates of married black men twenty-five-to-fifty-four are higher than for never-married white men in the same age group.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026

The Social Security Administration implemented a new rule under the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 that changed the way married people could receive spousal benefits.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026

Like Daphne, Patchett is married to an older man — also a doctor — whom she adores.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2026

He wouldn’t really try to make me go through with getting married when he knew how interested I was in the shop.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu