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

According to Harvard Health, Menière's disease is a condition characterized by fluid buildup in the inner ear, causing damage to some of the delicate structures in the inner ear. — Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 10 July 2026

The lawsuit also references several actions taken by board members that Obeng characterized as circumventing his authority. — Ilana Arougheti july 10, Kansas City Star, 10 July 2026

She's characterized herself as the more experienced candidate, and the one with the best odds to beat Rogers in the general election this November. — Justin Papp, CNBC, 10 July 2026

The change raises immediate questions for families of ranging faith backgrounds about what students will be required to read, how other religions will be characterized and what legal options families may have. — Rachel Royster. Produced With Ai Assistance, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 July 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