unmarked

American  

[uhn-mahrkt] / ʌnˈmɑrkt /

adjective

1. not marked.

2. Linguistics.

   1. characterized by the absence of a distinctive phonological feature, as (p), which, in contrast to (b), lacks the distinctive feature of voicing.

   2. 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.

   3. neutral with regard to an element of meaning specified by a semantically related item.

   4. occurring more typically than an alternative form.

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unmarked British  

/ ʌnˈmɑːkt /

adjective

1. not carrying a mark or marks

   an unmarked police car

2. not noticed or observed

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Etymology

Origin of unmarked

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at un- ¹, marked

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

unmarked

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

Officials were vague about George W. Bush’s whereabouts immediately after the Sept. 11 attacks, and Bill Clinton took an unmarked plane from India to Pakistan in 2000.

From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026

Ahmadzai arrived back in court in Athens on Thursday morning in an unmarked Grey car.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

Javier Ramirez was handcuffed in the back of an unmarked car, bruised and confused, when immigration agents used a word he had never heard before.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026

The clumsy examples above show that long and complicated subjects are best left unmarked, whereas simpler ones like pronouns work well in the genitive, as in I appreciate your coming over to help.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker