characterize

verb

char·​ac·​ter·​ize ˈker-ik-tə-ˌrīz How to pronounce characterize (audio)
ˈka-rik-
characterized; characterizing
Synonyms of characterize

transitive verb

1
: to describe the character (see character entry 1 sense 1a) or quality of
characterizes him as ambitious
2
: to be a characteristic of : distinguish
an era characterized by greed

Synonyms of characterize

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Examples of characterize in a Sentence

How would you characterize the situation? I would characterize this as a positive change for our company. She had difficulty characterizing their relationship. His personality is hard to characterize. Farms and large flat fields characterize most of the area. the beliefs that characterized Europe in the 15th century
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Phoenix characterized the chips, established the programming approach, and verified the resulting devices before delivery. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026 Blanche and the president have characterized those cases as politically motivated. — Alanna Durkin Richer, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026 Fazio hammered that note on a few occasions, characterizing Lamont’s tenure as one in which education is worse than when the governor started. — Theo Peck-Suzuki, Hartford Courant, 28 Aug. 2026 Medical uses Buprenorphine’s principal use is in the treatment of OUD, a chronic condition characterized by problematic opioid use despite harmful consequences. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for characterize

Word History

Etymology

see character entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1602, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of characterize was circa 1602

Rhymes for characterize

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Browse Nearby Words

characterization
characterize
characterless
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Characterize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/characterize. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

characterize

verb
char·​ac·​ter·​ize ˈkar-ik-tə-ˌrīz How to pronounce characterize (audio)
characterized; characterizing
1
: to point out the character of an individual or group : describe
characterize him as ambitious
2
: to be characteristic of
tragic endings characterized her stories
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