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
Newsweek spoke with two mental health experts to better understand the rare condition, which is characterized by both schizophrenia symptoms and mood disorders such as mania or depression.
—
Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
This species, found in waterholes surrounded by bamboo forests, is characterized by its rough skin and reddish-orange markings.
—Real-Time News Team, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2025
This zone is characterized by deciduous trees such as dogwood, alder, and aspen surrounded by conifer forest.
—Worth Matthewson, Outdoor Life, 2 Oct. 2025
As such, Netflix has characterized the third season of the hit show, which stars Charlie Hunnam in the titular role, as its most harrowing yet, but director and co-showrunner Max Winkler doesn't agree with that characterization.
—Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for characterize
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Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
This species, found in waterholes surrounded by bamboo forests, is characterized by its rough skin and reddish-orange markings.
—Real-Time News Team, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2025
This zone is characterized by deciduous trees such as dogwood, alder, and aspen surrounded by conifer forest.
—Worth Matthewson, Outdoor Life, 2 Oct. 2025
As such, Netflix has characterized the third season of the hit show, which stars Charlie Hunnam in the titular role, as its most harrowing yet, but director and co-showrunner Max Winkler doesn't agree with that characterization.
—Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Oct. 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 7 Oct. 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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