categorize

verb

cat·​e·​go·​rize ˈka-ti-gə-ˌrīz 

categorized; categorizing

transitive verb

: to put into a category : classify

Birds are categorized by type in this field manual.

categorization

ˌka-ti-gə-rə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

categorizable

ˌka-ti-gə-ˈrī-zə-bəl 

adjective

Synonyms

• classify
• rank
• distinguish
• relegate

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

Listening For Understanding, Not Agreement One of the biggest barriers to effective listening is our tendency to evaluate what's being said—to mentally categorize it as right or wrong, useful or irrelevant, aligned with our views or opposed to them. —Heather Heefner, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025

On August 1, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration categorized the recall as Class II. —Matt Cannon, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Aug. 2025

Then, there are irregular galaxies, which cannot be neatly categorized. —Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 31 July 2025

During that time, a lot of clergymen were engaged in natural philosophy, collecting minerals, fossils, and shells, and categorizing and comparing. —Chava Pearl Lansky, JSTOR Daily, 30 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

see category

First Known Use

1705, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for categorize

• actualize
• antagonize
• apologise
• apologize
• capitalize
• characterize
• commercialize
• conceptualize
• contrariwise
• criminalize
• decentralize
• democratize

Kids Definition

categorize

verb

cat·​e·​go·​rize ˈkat-i-gə-ˌrīz 

categorized; categorizing

: to put into a category : classify

categorization

ˌkat-i-gə-rə-ˈzā-shən 

noun