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
Pirro pushed back and went on to reiterate the Administration’s support for the deployments, characterizing the city as besieged by violent crime.
—
Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 27 Nov. 2025
This erratic mood has characterized the entire Starmer government, which came to power last July without a real vision of change.
—Oliver Eagleton, Time, 26 Nov. 2025
The immersive program aims to provide participants with tools to manage the pressures of an industry characterized by constant reinvention, rejection, and demanding work conditions.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 Nov. 2025
Researchers observed healthy cats and those with feline interstitial cystitis—a chronic illness characterized by recurring discomfort or pain in the bladder with an urgent need to urinate.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for characterize
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Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 27 Nov. 2025
This erratic mood has characterized the entire Starmer government, which came to power last July without a real vision of change.
—Oliver Eagleton, Time, 26 Nov. 2025
The immersive program aims to provide participants with tools to manage the pressures of an industry characterized by constant reinvention, rejection, and demanding work conditions.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 Nov. 2025
Researchers observed healthy cats and those with feline interstitial cystitis—a chronic illness characterized by recurring discomfort or pain in the bladder with an urgent need to urinate.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 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 30 Nov. 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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