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 marked mark 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; 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.
In footage played in court showing the women following an unmarked vehicle, they can be heard discussing their plan to observe an ICE raid.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026
The visitors grabbed an early lead when Sam Beukema, one of three Napoli players left completely unmarked, headed in Miguel Gutierrez's free-kick.
From Barron's • Feb. 22, 2026
On Saturday, several unmarked police cars were again seen at Andrew's former Windsor mansion Royal Lodge, where he lived for many years.
From BBC • Feb. 21, 2026
For the uninitiated, the U.S. version asked contestants to choose one of 26 unmarked briefcases containing between 1 cent and $1 million.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 9, 2026
His face was peaceful and unmarked by the sweat of fever.
From "The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm" by Nancy Farmer
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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.