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 of categorize

• classify
• rank
• distinguish

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

When look at the entire decline from late 2024 through the April crash lows and then the recovery over the past several months, the entire structure can be categorized as a massive bullish inverse head-and-shoulders pattern. —Frank Cappelleri, CNBC, 3 Dec. 2025

In Death by Lightning, his performance as Charles Guiteau incinerates any attempt to categorize the presidential assassin. —Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025

Recognising and nurturing otrovert children—a term for those kids that don’t necessarily fit neatly into the introvert or extrovert box—requires flexibility and a willingness to think beyond the labels that typically try to categorize kids. —Hannah Nwoko, Parents, 30 Nov. 2025

Very often, dogs categorized as pit bulls aren’t even actual pit bulls, and are just penalized for looking a certain way. —Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Nov. 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