From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishearmarkear‧mark /ˈɪəmɑːk $ ˈɪrmɑːrk/ verb [transitive] CHOOSEto decide that something will be used for a particular purpose or have something done to it in the futurebe earmarked for something 85% of foreign aid is earmarked by Congress for specific purposes. schools earmarked for closurebe earmarked as something He had been earmarked as a potential leader.Grammar Earmark is usually passive.→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
earmark• Wirral Council has earmarked £150,000 in its capital programme for refurbishment work.• Dawson was earmarked as Reiner's successor as District Attorney.• Last year, Working Assets distributed $ 2. 15 million to 36 liberal non-profits, as earmarked by individual customers.• 20% of the budget has already been earmarked for a new computer system.• Unfortunately it had just been earmarked for housing.• Even the increase proposed will put pressure on Congress to hold down other spending or dip into funds earmarked for Social Security.• Berkowitz said a portion of the money paid to her clients would be earmarked for therapy and counseling sessions.• For instance, one provision allows them to spend money earmarked for welfare on other programs.• Churchill had already earmarked Lyttleton for the job.• The funds are earmarked to help pay for the cathedral's renovation.From Longman Business Dictionaryearmarkear‧mark /ˈɪəmɑːkˈɪrmɑːrk/ verb [transitive] to plan to use something for a particular purpose or to give someone a particular roleearmark somebody/something forOf the money provided, 80% was earmarked for use in metropolitan areas.earmark somebody/something asHe had been earmarked as a possible successor to Bush.→ See Verb table 