tracked

IPA/trækt/
KK[trˈækt]IPA/trækt/

tracked — adjective

  • trackedpositive
  • trackedercomparative
  • trackedestsuperlative

1. sent using a system in which the item's location is recorded at each stage of it

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

sent using a system in which the item's location is recorded at each stage of its journey, allowing the sender and recipient to see where it is at any time

Example

Folake checked the tracking app and saw that her tracked parcel was already in Lagos.

collocation: tracked parcel

Greta chose tracked delivery for her mother's prescription and checked the tracking page every few hours.

collocation: tracked delivery; shows the checking behaviour it enables

Common collocations
  • tracked delivery
  • tracked parcel
  • tracked package
  • tracked service
  • tracked shipment
  • tracked letter
  • sent tracked
Synonyms
  • traceable

    broader — means the origin or history of something can be investigated, not just its delivery status

  • monitored

    implies observation over time, but not necessarily location tracking; a patient's condition can be monitored

Antonyms
  • untracked

    sent without any tracking information or delivery updates

Grammar Patterns

tracked + delivery/parcel/package/service/shipment

Usage Note

Almost always used before a noun (tracked delivery, tracked parcel). The phrase 'sent tracked' is also common in informal online shopping contexts.

2. describes a vehicle that moves on a pair of wide metal belts running around its

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes a vehicle that moves on a pair of wide metal belts running around its wheels, like a tank or a bulldozer, rather than on rubber tyres

Example

The tracked bulldozer pushed rubble across the construction site without getting stuck in mud.

describes a vehicle using metal tracks instead of wheels

Lotte climbed into the tracked snow groomer and started smoothing the ski slope.

Common collocations
  • tracked vehicle
  • tracked bulldozer
  • tracked excavator
  • tracked robot
  • tracked snow groomer
Synonyms
  • caterpillar-tracked

    more technical; used in engineering contexts to specify the type of track system

Antonyms
  • wheeled

    using wheels instead of tracks; most everyday vehicles are wheeled

Grammar Patterns

tracked + vehicle/bulldozer/excavator/robot

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1 (MONITORED IN TRANSIT): this sense only describes heavy vehicles that use continuous metal caterpillar tracks instead of wheels. Subject is almost always a vehicle or machine.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

The adjective 'tracked' specifically means that a package or item is being followed through a delivery system, with its location recorded at each stage. 'Traceable' is broader: it means something's origin or history can be investigated, not just its current location — you might say a diamond is traceable to a particular mine. 'Monitored' implies ongoing observation but not necessarily location tracking; a patient's heart rate can be monitored. 'Registered' (as in registered mail) means the item is officially recorded and often insured, with a signature required on delivery — it prioritises security over real-time visibility. For everyday online shopping, you want 'tracked delivery', not 'registered post'.

traceable ↗monitored ↗registered ↗

Etymology

Old FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

From the past participle of the verb 'track' (to follow the course or trail of). The shipping sense developed in the late 20th century with the rise of package delivery services and barcode scanning. The vehicle sense comes from the noun 'track' referring to a continuous metal belt, first used on military tanks during World War I. The word 'track' itself comes from Old French 'trac' (trail, path), probably of Germanic origin.

First known use

1926

1926, in the meaning defined at sense 1