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.
When space is tight, being able to compress and categorize your clothes makes everything feel a little less chaotic. Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2026 Jain is not even convinced that BTSP should be categorized as a non-Hebbian type of learning. Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 24 Apr. 2026 Critics express doubts Some health experts have suggested that legalization in the states has led to stronger and stronger cannabis products, which need to be researched rather than categorized less strictly than before. Gene Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026 Some critics of the industry have suggested that legalization in the states has led to stronger and stronger cannabis products, which need to be researched rather than categorized less strictly than before. ABC News, 23 Apr. 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 28 Apr. 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

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