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 lawsuit claims that Missouri lawmakers used no rational basis to categorize which counties qualified for a 5% cap, a freeze or neither. Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2026 In a public docket, the NTSB categorized the event as a turbulence encounter and said the investigation is ongoing, according to documents reviewed by the San Francisco Chronicle. Christopher Edwards, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026 There is a long history of women's pain being dismissed by doctors, incorrectly categorized as period pain or rooted in psychological distress. Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026 Bogen says the pattern is familiar from older Internet platforms, where small behavioral cues became signals that shaped what users saw and how they were categorized. Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 2 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 6 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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