marked

marked — adjective

1. so obvious, clear, or significant that it can be easily recognized or noticed —

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

so obvious, clear, or significant that it can be easily recognized or noticed — used especially of changes, differences, improvements, or contrasts

Example

There has been a marked improvement in Priya's reading since she started tutoring.

collocation: marked improvement

The doctor noticed a marked drop in the patient's fever after the new treatment.

Common collocations
  • marked improvement
  • marked difference
  • marked change
  • marked contrast
  • marked increase
  • marked lack of
  • marked decline
  • marked similarity
Synonyms
  • noticeable

    more general and neutral in tone; less formal than 'marked'

  • pronounced

    similar in formality, often used in technical or medical contexts

  • striking

    more emotional and visual; suggests something that surprises or impresses

  • evident

    more factual; suggests that proof exists for something to be clear

Antonyms
  • subtle

    describes a change or difference that is small and hard to notice

  • imperceptible

    describes something so slight that it cannot be detected at all

Grammar Patterns

marked + noun (attributive)

be + marked (predicative)

very / quite / especially + marked

Usage Note

Often used in formal or academic writing before nouns such as 'change', 'difference', 'improvement', 'contrast', and 'increase'. The predicative form ('the difference was marked') is less common than the attributive form ('a marked difference').

Common Mistakes

The difference was not marking.
The difference was not marked.
'marked' is an adjective here; do not use the -ing form of the verb 'mark'.
There is a mark difference between the two plans.
There is a marked difference between the two plans.
The adjective 'marked' (with -ed) means 'noticeable'; the noun 'mark' means a spot or stain.

2. considered by someone to be a person they want to harm, attack, punish, or take

2.adjectiveC1
Definition

considered by someone to be a person they want to harm, attack, punish, or take revenge on

Example

After reporting the corruption scandal, the journalist knew she was a marked woman.

collocation: a marked woman / a marked man

The former police officer was a marked figure among the criminals he had helped convict.

Common collocations
  • a marked man
  • a marked woman
  • a marked person
  • a marked figure
  • marked for death
  • marked for punishment
  • a marked target
Synonyms
  • targeted

    more general and can apply to both people and things; less literary than 'marked'

  • singled out

    emphasizes the act of being chosen from a group; slightly less ominous

  • threatened

    focuses on the existence of a specific danger rather than the status of being a target

Grammar Patterns

a marked + human noun (man / woman / person / figure)

marked for + [harmful outcome]

Usage Note

Almost always used attributively before a noun referring to a person. The phrase 'a marked man/woman/person' is a fixed expression with a dramatic or literary tone. This sense is distinct from sense 1: while sense 1 describes an observable quality of something, sense 2 describes a person's social or physical danger status.

Common Mistakes

He is a marked person in his office because everyone knows his name.
He is a well-known person in his office because everyone knows his name.
'marked' in this sense implies being targeted for harm, not simply being well-known or notable.
The marked man walked down the street.' (without context)
Add context: 'After testifying in court, Yusuf walked down the street as a marked man, knowing the defendant's allies were watching.
Readers need to understand why the person is in danger.
Idioms

a marked man/woman

idiom

Someone whose enemies are likely to attack or hurt them.

After testifying in court, Maya became a marked woman.

Is Brian still a marked man after leaving the gang?

Word family

  • mark
    nounA2
  • mark
    verbB1
  • marker
    nounB2
  • markedly
    adverbB2
  • unmarked
    adjectiveB2
  • marking
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All five words describe something that is easy to see or understand, but each has a different nuance. 'Noticeable' is the most general and neutral — something simply catches your attention without being surprising. 'Marked' is slightly more formal and often implies a measurable or significant change, as in 'a marked improvement in test scores.' 'Pronounced' is similar to 'marked' but frequently appears in medical or technical descriptions, such as 'a pronounced limp' or 'a pronounced effect.' 'Striking' is more emotional and visual — it suggests something that surprises or impresses you, as in 'a striking resemblance between the two paintings.' 'Evident' is factual, meaning there is enough proof for something to be clear, as in 'it was evident that she had practised.' 'Prominent' usually refers to a physical feature that stands out visually, like 'a prominent nose' or 'prominent veins.' Choose 'marked' when you want a formal, neutral tone for a measurable contrast; use 'striking' when you want to emphasise how surprising the difference is.

noticeable ↗pronounced ↗striking ↗evident ↗prominent ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The adjective 'marked' comes from the past participle of the verb 'mark', which traces back through Old English 'mearcian' (to mark, to designate) to Proto-Germanic '*markōną'. The original meaning of 'having a distinguishing mark on it' developed into 'noticeable, standing out' by the 16th century. The sense 'singled out as a target for harm' emerged in the 19th century, likely from the idea of one's name being 'marked' on a list for punishment or revenge.