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
The Senate is earmarking $2 million, while the House doesn’t put any money towards the initiative.
—
Ana Goñi-Lessan, Sun Sentinel, 17 Feb. 2026
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
Ana Goñi-Lessan, Sun Sentinel, 17 Feb. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for earmarking
Verb
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To expand that impact, RetrievAir is launching its Second Chance Seats program, dedicating two seats on every flight to help transport rescue pups.—
Rick Mauch,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Mar. 2026
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Younger investors are often better served keeping gold exposure, if any, as a small allocation within a broader portfolio rather than dedicating an entire IRA to it.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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For parents, devoting one-on-one time to children who are not in crisis, acknowledging their experiences, and validating their feelings without trying to fix them can make an enormous difference.—
Debra Manetta,
STAT,
26 Feb. 2026
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There are still young people out there who are devoting themselves to the craft.—
Outside,
Outside,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Standard Model may or may not be in trouble, but particle physics definitely needs saving.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
5 Mar. 2026
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Last month, Cuba’s government implemented austere fuel-saving measures and warned that jet fuel wouldn’t be available at nine airports until mid-March.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Earmarking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/earmarking. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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