classified

classified — adjective

1. Marked by an official authority as containing sensitive material that ordinary c

1.形容詞B2
釋義

Marked by an official authority as containing sensitive material that ordinary citizens may not see and that only approved individuals may read.

例句

The report about the missile system is classified and locked inside a steel safe.

collocation: classified + report/document/information

Leila received a security pass that allowed her to read classified files at the embassy.

同義詞
  • secret

    broader term — can refer to anything hidden, not just official documents

  • confidential

    common in business and medical settings; implies trust between parties rather than official decree

  • restricted

    suggests access limits without specifying a formal government stamp

  • top-secret

    the highest level of classified material, reserved for national-security matters

反義詞

用法筆記

Frequently used with nouns such as 'document', 'information', 'report', 'file', 'material', and 'data'. The opposite terms are 'unclassified' (never marked secret) and 'declassified' (formerly secret but now released to the public).

常見錯誤

❌The email was classified as spam by my inbox.
✅The email was marked as spam by my inbox.
💡'Classified' as an adjective (sense 1) means officially secret; for digital sorting, use 'marked' or 'tagged' instead.
❌I found classified government files on a public website.
✅The former agent admitted he had kept classified files in his home.
💡True classified material is not available on the open internet by definition; use 'confidential' or 'sensitive' for less formal contexts.

2. Organized or sorted into categories based on topic or type so that items on the

2.形容詞B2
釋義

Organized or sorted into categories based on topic or type so that items on the same subject appear together for easier reference.

例句

Pia organized her recipe collection into a classified system of folders labeled by cuisine.

collocation: classified + system/index/catalog

The museum stores its pottery collection in a classified arrangement based on region and era.

同義詞
  • categorized

    more general; does not imply a multi-level sorting system

  • sorted

    simpler, everyday term; less formal than 'classified'

  • grouped

    focuses on the outcome of placing items together

反義詞
  • unorganized

    no system of arrangement applied

  • mixed

    items of different types placed together without grouping

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1 (SECRET): sense 2 has nothing to do with secrecy — it simply means items are grouped by subject. Common with nouns like 'list', 'directory', 'index', 'catalog', and 'system'.

常見錯誤

❌The classified information from the spy was leaked online.' (using sense 2 when sense 1 is intended).
✅The classified catalog organizes books by genre, not by author.
💡Sense 2 is about arrangement by topic, not about restricted access; use sense 1 for secret information.

classified — noun