as in dedicating
to keep or intend for a special purpose
the earnings from my second job have been earmarked for a down payment on a car
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Recent Examples of earmarking
At a time when colleges and universities have spent considerable money on new athletic stadiums, student fitness centers, multi-level food courts, and million-dollar salaries for football and basketball coaches, earmarking money for high quality campus security continues to be problematic.
—
Rick Pozniak, Boston Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
The process of earmarking potential barrels begins years in advance.
—Emily Price, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Rick Pozniak, Boston Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
The process of earmarking potential barrels begins years in advance.
—Emily Price, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for earmarking
Verb
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When attention is this constrained, dedicating visual bandwidth to representational cues necessarily displaces something else.—
Torie Bosch,
STAT,
7 Feb. 2026
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Moscow has so far avoided the collapse that experts had predicted after sanctions were imposed over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, largely by dedicating huge spending to defense.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Firm research shows mom-and-pop investors are typically devoting only a small portion of their overall portfolios to these speculative plays, while keeping most of their money in more traditional investments.—
Yun Li,Kate Rooney,Alex Harring,
CNBC,
27 Jan. 2026
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The state is devoting $50 million in federal grant funding this year to cancer screening, prevention and treatment.—
Virginia Barreda,
Des Moines Register,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The administration says this is a cost-saving solution for Americans at a time when rising energy bills are causing concern around the country.—
Ella Nilsen,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
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While putting a chair in a parking spot may seem like a simple gesture, saving spaces has created friction among residents.—
Jessica Mekles,
FOXNews.com,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Earmarking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/earmarking. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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