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
The Bronze age in China was thus not only characterized by its bronze tools and weaponry, but by its advanced social and political structures.
—
Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
World leaders welcomed the ceasefire, although analysts characterized the agreement as fragile and warned that a substantial lack of trust on both sides will likely complicate the path to lasting peace.
—Sam Meredith, CNBC, 8 Apr. 2026
El Niño is characterized by unusually warm waters along the equatorial tropical Pacific Ocean, and a related series of shifts in winds and precipitation patterns in the atmosphere.
—Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026
International humanitarian law experts and officials have characterized his previous threats against civilian infrastructure as threatening war crimes.
—Sarah Dean, NBC news, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for characterize
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Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
World leaders welcomed the ceasefire, although analysts characterized the agreement as fragile and warned that a substantial lack of trust on both sides will likely complicate the path to lasting peace.
—Sam Meredith, CNBC, 8 Apr. 2026
El Niño is characterized by unusually warm waters along the equatorial tropical Pacific Ocean, and a related series of shifts in winds and precipitation patterns in the atmosphere.
—Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026
International humanitarian law experts and officials have characterized his previous threats against civilian infrastructure as threatening war crimes.
—Sarah Dean, NBC news, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for characterize
Cite this Entry
“Characterize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/characterize. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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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