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
In an essay published in Vogue, longtime magazine editor Anna Wintour characterized Armani as a steely, dedicated and, above all, innovative force in the fashion industry.
—
Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025
In a 69-page ruling, Judge Edward Chen of the Northern District of California characterized the decision of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to end TPS for Haiti and Venezuela as capricious, arbitrary and beyond the scope of her authority.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
And, since Congress expects workers and employers to be (cough) creative when characterizing wages as tips to avoid paying taxes on otherwise taxable income, Treasury is authorized to issue additional guidance to prevent abuse.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2025
In New York, Cuomo has characterized Mamdani’s separation from national DSA as phony and convenient.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for characterize
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Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025
In a 69-page ruling, Judge Edward Chen of the Northern District of California characterized the decision of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to end TPS for Haiti and Venezuela as capricious, arbitrary and beyond the scope of her authority.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
And, since Congress expects workers and employers to be (cough) creative when characterizing wages as tips to avoid paying taxes on otherwise taxable income, Treasury is authorized to issue additional guidance to prevent abuse.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2025
In New York, Cuomo has characterized Mamdani’s separation from national DSA as phony and convenient.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 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 9 Sep. 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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