unmarked
Americanadjective
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not marked.
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Linguistics.
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characterized by the absence of a distinctive phonological feature, as (p), which, in contrast to (b), lacks the distinctive feature of voicing.
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characterized by the absence of a grammatical marker, as the singular in English in contrast to the plural, which is typically marked by an -s ending.
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neutral with regard to an element of meaning specified by a semantically related item.
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occurring more typically than an alternative form.
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adjective
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not carrying a mark or marks
an unmarked police car
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not noticed or observed
Etymology
Origin of unmarked
late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at un- 1, marked
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.
Garces Perez says the agents twice sideswiped his Toyota Corolla, causing damage, before their unmarked SUVs turned on their lights and sirens.
From Slate ● Sep. 23, 2026
Solid at the back but got it all wrong at the other end after volleying wide at the back post when unmarked.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
Ratcliffe’s secretive journey, which included flying into Moscow in an unmarked U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
The lab, housed in an unmarked office in a D.C. suburb, had access to the government’s most sensitive databases, from suspicious activity reports to arrest records.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
I imagine my mom as she crossed the street with her suitcase, looking in both directions for an unmarked van parked somewhere.
From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
