characterize
verb
char·ac·ter·ize
ˈker-ik-tə-ˌrīz 
ˈka-rik-
characterized; characterizing
1
: to describe the character (see character entry 1 sense 1a) or quality of
characterizes him as ambitious
2
: to be a characteristic of : distinguish
an era characterized by greed
Examples of characterize in a Sentence
How would you characterize the situation?
I would characterize this as a positive change for our company.
She had difficulty characterizing their relationship.
His personality is hard to characterize.
Farms and large flat fields characterize most of the area.
the beliefs that characterized Europe in the 15th century
Recent Examples on the Web
Bera denounced Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu but declined to characterize Palestine deaths as genocide.
—
Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 14 Nov. 2025
The voice of Julio Haro from La Arrolladora Banda El Limón de René Camacho blends perfectly with that of Juanes, who, without abandoning his style, adds the intensity that characterizes a regional Mexican performance.
—Tere Aguilera, Billboard, 14 Nov. 2025
Advertisement Most notably, in 1958, congressional conservatives pushed to rein in the Warren Court for rulings that challenged and undercut the red-baiting that characterized the era of McCarthyism.
—Time, 14 Nov. 2025
Near the equator of Venus lies Aphrodite Terra, a highland region spanning approximately half the size of Africa, characterized by rift valleys, ridges, and ancient lava flows.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 13 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for characterize
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Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 14 Nov. 2025
The voice of Julio Haro from La Arrolladora Banda El Limón de René Camacho blends perfectly with that of Juanes, who, without abandoning his style, adds the intensity that characterizes a regional Mexican performance.
—Tere Aguilera, Billboard, 14 Nov. 2025
Advertisement Most notably, in 1958, congressional conservatives pushed to rein in the Warren Court for rulings that challenged and undercut the red-baiting that characterized the era of McCarthyism.
—Time, 14 Nov. 2025
Near the equator of Venus lies Aphrodite Terra, a highland region spanning approximately half the size of Africa, characterized by rift valleys, ridges, and ancient lava flows.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 13 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for characterize
Cite this Entry
“Characterize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/characterize. Accessed 22 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
characterize
verb
char·ac·ter·ize
ˈkar-ik-tə-ˌrīz
characterized; characterizing
1
: to point out the character of an individual or group : describe
characterize him as ambitious
2
: to be characteristic of
tragic endings characterized her stories
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