characterize

verb

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

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

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 On the exterior, the house is characterized by the use of composition shingles on the roof. Bay Area Home Report, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024 An eerie stillness characterizes all of Scott’s performances as well. Zing Tsjeng, Vogue, 20 Mar. 2024 Schneider also discussed his temperament in the writers’ room and on set, which many former Nickelodeon cast and crew members characterized as volatile, antagonistic, and inappropriate throughout Quiet on Set. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 19 Mar. 2024 The founders evince none of the open hostility to the music business that characterized, say, Napster before the lawsuits that destroyed it. Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 17 Mar. 2024 As a model student and a leader in the bass section, Drew is characterized by his quick learning ability, a beautiful tone, and a strong drive to actively participate and represent with excellence. Heide Janssen, Orange County Register, 17 Mar. 2024 Testing also was done to check the levels of hydrogen sulfide, often characterized as a rotten egg smell. Shawn Raymundo, The Arizona Republic, 16 Mar. 2024 The couple has been charged with obstruction of justice for allegedly falsely characterizing the return of bribe money as repayment for loans. Christine Sloan, CBS News, 11 Mar. 2024 Measles is an airborne disease characterized by a high fever, a cough and a rash. The Enquirer, 7 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'characterize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near characterize

Cite this Entry

“Characterize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/characterize. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on characterize

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!