merklich

Merklich is a German term that functions as an adjective and as an adverb. As an adverb, merklich means noticeably or perceivably, and it is used to express a measurable degree of change or quality when describing another word or action. For example: "Der Lärm hat merklich nachgelassen" means "The noise has noticeably decreased."

As an adjective, merklich describes something that is easily perceived: "eine merkliche Veränderung" translates to "a noticeable change." The same form can be used adverbially in contexts such as "merklich größer" or "merklich verbessert."

Origin and form: The word is formed from the verb merken (to notice) with the suffix -lich, which yields both the adjective merklich and its adverbial use. The distinction between merklich and related terms such as deutlich, spürbar, and sichtbar is subtle: merklich emphasizes perceptibility, while deutlich emphasizes clarity, and spürbar emphasizes physical or measurable impact.

Usage: Merklich tends to appear in written or formal German; in everyday speech speakers often prefer deutlich or spürbar. It can combine with nouns or adjectives: "merklich stärker," "merkliche Unterschiede," "merklich verbessert." Collocations include phrases that signal a perceptible difference or improvement.

Translations: In English, merklich is usually rendered as "noticeably" or "perceptibly." In some contexts, "significantly" may be appropriate, but that implies stronger emphasis than merklich.

See also: deutlich, spürbar, sichtbar, bemerkenswert.