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
Yarrow Don’t let the delicate appearance of the tiny flower clusters that characterize yarrow fool you—this is one hardy perennial.
—
Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 11 June 2026
Today’s top stories Midterm election 2026 The Los Angeles primary election season was characterized by calls for change.
—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026
Under that view, a taxpayer who actively participates in management should not receive the benefit simply because state law characterizes the interest as a limited partnership interest.
—Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
The formation is characterized mostly by its three central defenders and two wingbacks.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026
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.
Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 11 June 2026
Today’s top stories Midterm election 2026 The Los Angeles primary election season was characterized by calls for change.
—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026
Under that view, a taxpayer who actively participates in management should not receive the benefit simply because state law characterizes the interest as a limited partnership interest.
—Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
The formation is characterized mostly by its three central defenders and two wingbacks.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 11 June 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 12 Jun. 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
