Meaning & use
remark
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Meanings
nouncountable
A short spoken or written comment giving an opinion or observation.
Grammar: Usually make a remark about something.
Patterns
- make a remark about something
- a remark on something
His rude remark made everyone uncomfortable.
She made a passing remark about the weather.
The teacher's closing remarks were short and kind.
verbtransitive or intransitiveformal
To say something as a comment, often casually.
Grammar: Often followed by that: she remarked that it was late. Also remark on something.
Patterns
- remark that something
- remark on something
He remarked that the soup needed more salt.
Guests often remark on the view from the terrace.
'It looks like rain,' she remarked.
verbtransitiveold-fashionedliterary
To notice something.
Grammar: Old-fashioned and literary: remark the change.
Patterns
- remark something
The traveler remarked the strange silence in the village.
Nobody remarked her absence at the dinner.
He remarked a change in his friend's manner.
Word forms
| plural | remarks |
|---|---|
| third person singular | remarks |
| past tense | remarked |
| -ing form | remarking |
Common combinations
- make a remark
- He made a remark about my hat.
- casual remark
- A casual remark started the argument.
- opening remarks
- The mayor gave the opening remarks.
- remark on
- Visitors remark on the quiet.
- snide remark
- She ignored his snide remark.
Synonyms and how they differ
- comment
- Comment is the most general word, while remark suggests a brief, spontaneous observation.
- observation
- Observation implies something noticed and carefully stated.
- statement
- Statement is more formal and complete, often official.
- quip
- A quip is a short, clever, usually funny remark.
Opposites
Word family
- remarkable adjective
- worth noticing, unusual
- remarkably adverb
- in a surprising or notable way
- remarks noun
- a short speech
- unremarkable adjective
- ordinary, not worth noticing
Commonly confused: remark or mark?
remark vs mark
A mark is a sign or stain; a remark is something said.
Practice
Visitors often ______ on how quiet the village is.
Choose one answer.
Remark on something means to comment on it. Remind and reply use different patterns and do not fit with 'on how quiet'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “remark”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.