marked

1 of 2

adjective

ˈmärkt 

1

: having an identifying mark

marked playing cards

2

or

ˈmär-kəd  : having a distinctive or emphasized character

has a marked drawl

3

a

: enjoying fame or notoriety

Winning the tournament made her a marked woman.

b

: being an object of attack, suspicion, or vengeance

To his enemies, the rebel leader was a marked man.

4

: overtly signaled by a linguistic feature

with most English nouns the plural is the marked number

markedly

ˈmär-kəd-lē 

adverb

markedness

ˈmär-kəd-nəs 

noun

marked

2 of 2

past tense of mark entry 2

Synonyms

Adjective

• arresting
• bodacious
• bold
• brilliant
• catchy
• commanding
• conspicuous
• dramatic
• emphatic
• eye-catching
• flamboyant
• grabby
• kenspeckle [chiefly Scottish]
• noisy
• noticeable
• prominent
• pronounced
• remarkable
• showy
• splashy
• striking

Examples of marked in a Sentence

Adjective

He speaks with a marked accent.

There was a marked change in her attitude.

There's been a marked improvement in the weather.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

In fact, an overwhelming majority of CEOs are anticipating a complete return to office within the next three years, with 83% expecting this transition—a marked increase from 64% in the previous year. —Jack Kelly, Forbes, 18 Sep. 2024

There’s been a marked decline in activations during Pride season. —Marty Davies, Fortune Europe, 18 Sep. 2024

By August 1918, the Bolsheviks were arresting foreigners, making Imbrie a marked man. —Francine Uenuma, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Sep. 2024

There is a call for a marked police officer to pull the Cadillac over. —Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 13 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing marked

• a marked man/woman
• in marked contrast to
• in stark/marked/sharp contrast with/to
• mis-marked

Kids Definition

marked

adjective

ˈmärkt 

1

: having an identifying mark

a marked card

2

: noticeable, conspicuous

speaks with a marked accent

3

a

: being a person on whom attention is focused

b

: being an object of attack or suspicion

a marked man

markedly

ˈmär-kəd-lē 

adverb