categorize

verb

cat·​e·​go·​rize ˈka-ti-gə-ˌrīz How to pronounce categorize (audio)
categorized; categorizing
Synonyms of categorizenext

transitive verb

: to put into a category : classify
Birds are categorized by type in this field manual.
categorization noun
categorizable adjective

Examples of categorize in a Sentence

This software lets you categorize your photographs in many different ways. Their opinions can be categorized as conservative. Birds are categorized by type in this field guide.
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.
The watchlist itself is based on the city’s data on private landlords with a longstanding methodology based on the way that data is collected and categorized by NYC’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development. Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 1 Feb. 2026 Soon however, surveillance images of US cities appear on-screen (recognizable in part by storefront signs for brands like Marshalls, M&M’s World, and Coca-Cola), implying that the audience, too, could become components of images to be segmented, categorized, and fed into AI training datasets. Farren Fei Yuan, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2026 Routes were ranked based on their average turbulence levels, with EDR values categorized as light, moderate, moderate-to-severe, severe and extreme. Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 29 Jan. 2026 Participants self-identified their chronotype — their natural preference for sleep-wake timing — and were categorized as morning, intermediate or evening types. Lily Hautau, CNN Money, 29 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for categorize

Word History

Etymology

see category

First Known Use

1705, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of categorize was in 1705

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Categorize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/categorize. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

categorize

verb
cat·​e·​go·​rize ˈkat-i-gə-ˌrīz How to pronounce categorize (audio)
categorized; categorizing
: to put into a category : classify
categorization noun

More from Merriam-Webster on categorize

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