earmark funds

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "earmark funds" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in financial or budgeting contexts to indicate that specific funds are set aside for a particular purpose. Example: "The government decided to earmark funds for education reform to improve the quality of schools."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

Many current tax proposals earmark funds for schools.

The Economist

A congressman has the power to "earmark" funds for a specific project.

The Economist

Donors also prefer to earmark funds for specific purposes, like combating H.I.V. and AIDS, health care for women or environmental problems.

The New York Times

In a 1968 joint statement, Governor Rockefeller and Mayor Lindsay pledged that "the city would earmark funds it would normally receive from new commercial and luxury developments to underwrite land costs for new low- and middle-income housing".

The New York Times

"If we can earmark funds to make loans to help persons of color get a leg up and be their own business owners, I think that's the right thing to do".

The Guardian - Business

The USOC doesn't normally earmark funds for a particular athlete.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

44 human-written examples

Again, there are good reasons why one might want to eliminate or curtail the earmark funding system.

The Economist

"You hear a lot about things like worm research or tea museums, but most earmark funding was for local infrastructure or social services," said Dr. Kunz, who has studied the impact of federal earmarks on state budgets.

The New York Times

Action Item 6: Earmark funding for multidisciplinary research.

Science Magazine

Obama refused to specifically push any special initiatives or earmark funding for unemployed blacks.

Huffington Post

The earmark funding trickled down to the Baptist Women's Clinic's pilot prenatal care program, known as "CenteringPregnancy," which targeted at-risk, soon-to-be moms.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about budgets or financial planning, use "earmark funds" to clearly indicate that specific funds are reserved for a particular purpose. This adds precision and clarity to your communication.

Common error

Avoid using "earmark funds" in casual conversations or informal writing. The phrase is best suited for professional and formal settings where financial accuracy is important.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "earmark funds" primarily functions as a verb phrase, where "earmark" acts as a transitive verb indicating the action of setting aside or designating, and "funds" serves as the direct object. Ludwig AI shows its practical application in financial and budgetary contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

30%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "earmark funds" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression, primarily found in news, scientific, and business contexts. It is used to indicate the specific allocation of funds for a particular purpose. Ludwig AI validates its correct usage in formal settings, highlighting its function as a verb phrase that specifies the intended use of financial resources. While highly appropriate in professional communication, its use should be avoided in casual conversations. Alternatives like "allocate funds" and "designate funds" offer similar meanings, but may vary in formality. Overall, "earmark funds" serves as a precise and reliable way to convey financial specifications in appropriate settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

allocate funds

Suggests a more general distribution of money.

designate funds

Implies a formal assignment of money for a particular purpose.

set aside funds

Indicates reserving funds, often for future use or specific projects.

reserve funds

Focuses on keeping money available for specific obligations or emergencies.

allot funds

Suggests distributing funds among several recipients or categories.

assign funds

Similar to designate, but can be less formal.

dedicate funds

Emphasizes committing money to a cause or purpose.

appropriate funds

Refers to legally authorizing the use of funds.

channel funds

Suggests directing funds toward a specific goal or recipient.

devote funds

Similar to dedicate, highlighting commitment and purpose.

FAQs

How can I use "earmark funds" in a sentence?

You can use "earmark funds" to describe a decision to reserve money for a specific purpose. For example, "The city council decided to "earmark funds" for the new park project".

What is a good alternative to "earmark funds"?

Alternatives include "allocate funds", "designate funds", or "set aside funds", depending on the nuance you wish to convey.

What does it mean to "earmark funds"?

To "earmark funds" means to reserve or designate money for a specific purpose. It ensures that the funds are used only for the intended project or cause.

Is "earmark funding" the same as "earmark funds"?

Yes, while "earmark funds" is a verb phrase, the noun equivalent is "earmark funding". You can say either "The government will "earmark funds"" or "The government will provide "earmark funding"" for the project.