earmark
Americannoun
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any identifying or distinguishing mark or characteristic.
The mayor's statement had all the earmarks of dirty politics.
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a mark of identification made on the ear of an animal to show ownership.
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a provision in a piece of Congressional legislation that directs specified federal funds to specific projects, programs, organizations, or individuals.
Lawmakers requested almost 40,000 earmarks worth more than $100 billion directed to their home districts and states.
verb (used with object)
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to set aside for a specific purpose, use, recipient, etc..
to earmark goods for export.
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to mark with an earmark.
verb
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to set aside or mark out for a specific purpose
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to make an identification mark on the ear of (a domestic animal)
noun
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a mark of identification on the ear of a domestic animal
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any distinguishing mark or characteristic
Other Word Forms
- unearmarked adjective
Etymology
Origin of earmark
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.
Based on its market share, analysts calculate that the bank could face an up to 2.0 billion-pound total charge and will need to earmark more cash to cover the difference.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 9, 2025
Tucked in a $10 billion climate bond on the November ballot is an earmark to improve drinking water quality for communities such as East Orosi.
From Salon • Nov. 2, 2024
The toll lane project could cost as much as $650 million, said David Knudsen, a deputy executive director of the Riverside County Transportation Commission, the agency that requested the earmark.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 22, 2024
But previous attempts to "hypothecate" - or earmark - National Insurance contributions for specific public services have been abandoned.
From BBC • Mar. 13, 2024
Anderson used his power to earmark municipal funds to clean up the Black Belt’s crumbling sewers and streets.
From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield
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.
