characterization
noun
char·ac·ter·i·za·tion
ˌker-ik-t(ə-)rə-ˈzā-shən 
ˌka-rik-
: the act of characterizing
especially
: the artistic representation (as in fiction or drama) of human character or motives
the author's characterization of the boy as someone who wanted to be accepted by others
Examples of characterization in a Sentence
The reporter was criticized for his characterization of the people of the town as poor and uneducated.
News reporting requires accurate characterization.
The class discussed the author's characterization of the boy as someone who wanted to be accepted by others.
The story has good characterization.
Recent Examples on the Web
A lot of what is unwieldy about Down Cemetery Road stems from the source novel, which predates the Slough House series and showcases a writer with an exceptional gift for dialogue and characterization but a more nascent sense of rudimentary storytelling.
—
Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2025
Bovino appeared before Ellis on Tuesday after the plaintiffs accused him of throwing a tear gas canister into a crowd of demonstrators without justification or warning – a characterization DHS has refuted.
—Devan Cole, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025
The Baouna family disputes the characterization of Issa’s record.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Nastia Korkia The Gold Hugo goes to a film that, in spite of very little dialogue, kept us on the edge of our seats with its powerful mise-en-scène and poetic characterizations of people and place.
—Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for characterization
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Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2025
Bovino appeared before Ellis on Tuesday after the plaintiffs accused him of throwing a tear gas canister into a crowd of demonstrators without justification or warning – a characterization DHS has refuted.
—Devan Cole, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025
The Baouna family disputes the characterization of Issa’s record.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Nastia Korkia The Gold Hugo goes to a film that, in spite of very little dialogue, kept us on the edge of our seats with its powerful mise-en-scène and poetic characterizations of people and place.
—Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for characterization
Cite this Entry
“Characterization.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/characterization. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
characterization
noun
char·ac·ter·i·za·tion
ˌkar-ik-tə-rə-ˈzā-shən
1
: the act of characterizing
2
: the creation of characters (as in a book or play)
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