markdown

1 of 2

noun

mark·​down ˈmärk-ˌdau̇n 

1

: a lowering of price

2

: the amount by which an original selling price is reduced

mark down

2 of 2

verb

marked down; marking down; marks down

transitive verb

: to put a lower price on

Synonyms of markdown

Verb

• reduce
• write down

Examples of markdown in a Sentence

Verb

marked down all seasonal goods immediately after the holidays

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Yet as analyst Rod Dubitsky reported, most private credit lenders carried their Pluralsight debt near par through early 2024 despite warning signs that had been accumulating for over a year — only to take markdowns of roughly 50% in a single quarter. —Marc Joffe, Oc Register, 9 Apr. 2026

Madewell has a treasure trove of markdowns for the spring season and beyond. —Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 9 Apr. 2026

Verb

So, while so many of the brand's best sellers are marked down on Amazon, now's the best time to stock up. —Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 11 Apr. 2026

For a limited time, the retailer has marked down some seriously good travel staples. —Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1880, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1833, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for markdown

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown

Kids Definition

markdown

1 of 2 noun

mark·​down ˈmärk-ˌdau̇n 

1

: a lowering of price

2

: the amount by which an original selling price is reduced

mark down

2 of 2 verb

(ˈ)märk-ˈdau̇n

: to put a lower price on

marked down all the books for the sale