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
Entering someone's property without permission is trespassing, and cutting their trees and shrubs without permission could be characterized as property damage.
—
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 12 Dec. 2025
While Guo reiterated China’s position on sensitive topics such as Taiwan – a self-ruling island democracy that Beijing claims as its own territory – his statement was otherwise cautiously neutral, lacking the vitriol that often characterizes Chinese responses to US policy.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 12 Dec. 2025
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt would not characterize the seizure as an escalation at a briefing on Wednesday.
—Chris Boccia, ABC News, 12 Dec. 2025
The lush landscape is characterized by Mediterranean scrub dotted with dammusi, traditional stone homes with white domes that date back to the period when the island was ruled by Arabs.
—Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 12 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for characterize
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Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 12 Dec. 2025
While Guo reiterated China’s position on sensitive topics such as Taiwan – a self-ruling island democracy that Beijing claims as its own territory – his statement was otherwise cautiously neutral, lacking the vitriol that often characterizes Chinese responses to US policy.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 12 Dec. 2025
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt would not characterize the seizure as an escalation at a briefing on Wednesday.
—Chris Boccia, ABC News, 12 Dec. 2025
The lush landscape is characterized by Mediterranean scrub dotted with dammusi, traditional stone homes with white domes that date back to the period when the island was ruled by Arabs.
—Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 12 Dec. 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 13 Dec. 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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