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
His administration oversaw a spectacular economic collapse characterized by hyperinflation and chronic shortages.
—
Reuters
wire Service, Dallas Morning News, 3 Jan. 2026
Their model shows that noise can be reduced to a fundamental physical limit defined by stochastic molecular processes, characterized by a Fano factor of 1.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 2 Jan. 2026
The Murgle settlement is characterized by its collection of compact timber homes that have been built on minimal foundations.
—New Atlas, 1 Jan. 2026
The beloved style is characterized by jewel tones, chrome finishes, velvet fabrics, perfect symmetries, and, most importantly, a strong sense of glamor.
—Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for characterize
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.
Reuters
wire Service, Dallas Morning News, 3 Jan. 2026
Their model shows that noise can be reduced to a fundamental physical limit defined by stochastic molecular processes, characterized by a Fano factor of 1.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 2 Jan. 2026
The Murgle settlement is characterized by its collection of compact timber homes that have been built on minimal foundations.
—New Atlas, 1 Jan. 2026
The beloved style is characterized by jewel tones, chrome finishes, velvet fabrics, perfect symmetries, and, most importantly, a strong sense of glamor.
—Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 31 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 8 Jan. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share