characterize

verb

char·​ac·​ter·​ize ˈker-ik-tə-ˌrīz 

ˈka-rik-

characterized; characterizing

transitive verb

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

Synonyms of characterize

• describe
• portray
• define

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 brand held its fall 2024 show in Saint Moritz — one of executive chairman Remo Ruffini’s favorite ski resorts but which can hardly be characterized as intimate. — Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 1 Oct. 2026

Haring, whose artwork is characterized by bold outlines and rhythmic figures punctuated by playful wit, has become synonymous with the 1980s New York downtown art scene. — Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 30 Sep. 2026

This natural climate pattern, characterized by warmer-than-average water temperatures along the equator in the Pacific Ocean, is on track to be the most intense on record. — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2026

Jensen Huang had spent decades building a distinctive internal cadence characterized by deep immersion in product reviews, rigorous group discussions, and an unrelenting emphasis on long-term architecture over short-term reaction. — Harvard Business Review, 29 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see character entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1602, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for characterize

• actualize
• antagonize
• apologise
• apologize
• capitalize
• categorize
• commercialize
• conceptualize
• contrariwise
• criminalize
• decentralize
• democratize

Kids 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