mark out

phrasal verb

marked out; marking out; marks out
1
: to indicate (a route on a map) with marks
I have marked out the best way to get to my ranch.
2
: to draw lines around (something) so that it can be clearly seen
He marked out his mining claim.
3
: to plan the details of (a course of action)
She talked about the course the European Union has marked out for itself.
4
chiefly British : to show that (someone or something) is special or different in some way
Her very first book marked her out as a great poet.
She was marked out for greatness.

Examples of mark out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The circle of what is acceptable to joke about is shrinking, the comedian said, as first religion and then politics have been marked out of bounds. Alex Travelli, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2025 In contrast, many of the stars hosting exoplanets are too faint to be seen with the naked eye, which marks out HD 20794 as something special. Keith Cooper, Space.com, 28 Jan. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Mark out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mark%20out. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.

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