1
as in to describe
to point out the chief quality or qualities of an individual or group
how would you characterize the mission of this environmental organization?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to distinguish
to be an important feature of
an unsightly rash characterizes chicken pox
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of characterize
Fans often describe the industry’s history as unofficial eras, characterized by different trends and waves of new artists.
—
Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 2 May 2026
Swiss chard, a relative of beets, is characterized by the same multi-seed clusters.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 1 May 2026
The monsoon season is from July through September, characterized by heavy rainfall.
—Laura Payne, Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 May 2026
Electrical Disturbances Cause Auras Up to 30% of people with migraines experience an aura phase, a sensation characterized by visual or sensory disturbances such as flashing lights, tingling sensations, and difficulty speaking.
—Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for characterize
Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 2 May 2026
Swiss chard, a relative of beets, is characterized by the same multi-seed clusters.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 1 May 2026
The monsoon season is from July through September, characterized by heavy rainfall.
—Laura Payne, Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 May 2026
Electrical Disturbances Cause Auras Up to 30% of people with migraines experience an aura phase, a sensation characterized by visual or sensory disturbances such as flashing lights, tingling sensations, and difficulty speaking.
—Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for characterize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for characterize
Verb
-
Drinking that water can cause both acute illness (like the abdominal pain that Stillman describes) and chronic illness.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Most of the monarchies in Europe are really described by their greatest and most ardent supporters.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
3 May 2026
Verb
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College will still exist as a place—or, at least, as a website or app—that employers will use to distinguish one applicant from another.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
5 May 2026
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Diamond Recovery Group, a national network of drug and alcohol rehabilitation and mental health treatment facilities, continues to distinguish itself by earning and maintaining the highest level of accreditation in the industry.—
Ascend Agency,
Sun Sentinel,
4 May 2026
Verb
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The film stars renegade country singer Elizabeth Cook as a fictionalized version of herself, portraying an artist navigating midlife while contending with an industry that has never fully embraced her.—
Kennedy French,
Variety,
28 Apr. 2026
-
However, director Antoine Fuqua made the conscious decision to use CGI to portray the chimpanzee.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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An epic comeback and an epic bounce defined two games that forced Game 7s on Friday night.—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
2 May 2026
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That tension — between the gravity of what the commission documented and the limits of what it was empowered to do — defined Thursday’s release of its final report.—
Olivia Olander,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Characterize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/characterize. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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