marked

marked — adjective

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

1.形容詞B2
釋義

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

例句

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.

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞
  • 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

文法句型

marked + noun (attributive)

be + marked (predicative)

very / quite / especially + marked

用法筆記

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').

常見錯誤

❌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.形容詞C1
釋義

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

例句

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.

同義詞
  • 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

文法句型

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

marked for + [harmful outcome]

用法筆記

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.

常見錯誤

❌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.