married

The word “married” means having a husband or wife; joined in marriage. In plain terms, having a spouse, or figuratively, extremely devoted to something.

“Married” is pronounced MAR-ihd (/ˈmæɹ.ɪd/ in IPA).

Here is “married” used in a sentence: “They got married last spring in a small ceremony.”

“Married” is an adjective.

“Married” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

“Married” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: having a husband or wife; joined in marriage.

Being engaged means a couple has promised to marry and are formally committed, but the wedding has not yet happened. Being married means the ceremony is complete and they are legally joined as spouses. Engagement is the promise; marriage is the fulfilled union with full legal and social recognition.

'Married' means you have a legally recognised spouse, a husband or wife. 'Single' means you have no such partner and are unmarried. These are the two most common answers on official forms asking about marital status, alongside options like divorced, separated, or widowed.

Yes. A separated couple are still legally married but no longer living together as partners. Separation is often a step before divorce, though some couples reconcile. Until a divorce is finalised, both people remain married in the eyes of the law and cannot marry anyone else.

'Married' is neutral and works in every setting, from casual conversation to legal documents. More formal alternatives include 'wedded' or 'joined in matrimony', while 'hitched' is a relaxed, informal way to say the same thing. For most writing and speech, 'married' is the natural, standard choice.