Meaning & use
watermark
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A faint design pressed into paper during making or added to a digital file to show who made it or that it is genuine.
Grammar: Takes a plural when more than one mark is meant: two watermarks.
Patterns
- a watermark on something
- a digital watermark
- a faint/visible watermark
Hold the banknote up to the light and the watermark appears near the portrait.
She added a small watermark in the corner of every photo before posting it online.
verbtransitivecomputing
To put a faint identifying mark on paper, an image, or a video so its source is clear.
Grammar: Takes an object: watermark the image. In the passive, it is often used with by.
Patterns
- watermark a document
- watermark an image with something
- be watermarked by someone
The studio watermarks preview films so leaked copies can be traced.
Each certificate is watermarked with the school seal.
Word forms
| plural | watermarks |
|---|---|
| third person singular | watermarks |
| past tense | watermarked |
| past participle | watermarked |
| -ing form | watermarking |
Common combinations
- faint watermark
- A faint watermark showed only when the page was held against a lamp.
- digital watermark
- The app inserts a digital watermark into downloaded videos.
- watermark an image
- Please watermark an image before sharing client proofs.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- watermarked adjective
- marked with a watermark
Commonly confused: watermark or trademark?
watermark vs trademark
A trademark is a legally protected name or symbol; a watermark is a mark showing authenticity or ownership.
Practice
Choose the best sentence.
Choose one answer.
Watermark as a verb takes a direct object: watermark its scans. Option 2 wrongly adds on after the verb, and option 3 lacks -s for the singular subject.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “watermark”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.