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

The team categorized people into four groups: Inactive (no weekly exercise), insufficiently active (less than 150 minutes per week), weekend warriors (150-plus minutes per week, in one to two sessions) and regularly active (15-plus minutes spread across three or more sessions). —New Atlas, 25 July 2025

The participants then filled out a questionnaire, which enabled the scientists to categorize each person as a pessimist or optimist. —Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 July 2025

Lynch would categorize sounds, applying unusual names that spoke to him about the feeling of a section of the show or movie. —Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 11 July 2025

Trump has also frequented his own resort properties, notably Mar-a-Lago and Bedminster, for personal retreats or closed-press political dinners, but these have generally not been categorized as public events. —MSNBC Newsweek, 13 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