classify
verb
clas·si·fy
ˈkla-sə-ˌfī 
classified; classifying
1
: to arrange in classes (see class entry 1 sense 3)
classifying books according to subject matter
2
: to consider (someone or something) as belonging to a particular group
The movie is classified as a comedy.
The vehicle is classified as a truck.
Examples of classify in a Sentence
Students will be learning about the ways scientists classify animals.
The online system can classify books by subject.
Recent Examples on the Web
Islands such as Izu, Bonin, and Mariana are also inconsistently classified, with some geologists including them and others excluding them.
—
Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
His numbers are even with others who are classified as superstars.
—Joe Smith, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
Originally designed for communications, these cables are now adapted to act as giant, passive sonar arrays capable of detecting, classifying, and tracking submarines, surface vessels, and other undersea activity across sea lanes.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2025
Dividing her time between London and Los Angeles, Porras-Kim has historically examined the methods institutions use to classify, conserve, and interpret items in their collections, focusing on objects and forms of knowledge that have been separated from their original contexts.
—News Desk, Artforum, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for classify
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Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
His numbers are even with others who are classified as superstars.
—Joe Smith, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
Originally designed for communications, these cables are now adapted to act as giant, passive sonar arrays capable of detecting, classifying, and tracking submarines, surface vessels, and other undersea activity across sea lanes.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2025
Dividing her time between London and Los Angeles, Porras-Kim has historically examined the methods institutions use to classify, conserve, and interpret items in their collections, focusing on objects and forms of knowledge that have been separated from their original contexts.
—News Desk, Artforum, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for classify
Cite this Entry
“Classify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/classify. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
classify
verb
clas·si·fy
ˈklas-ə-ˌfī
classified; classifying
: to arrange in or assign to classes
classify books by subjects
classifier
noun
-ˌfī(-ə)r
Medical Definition
classify
transitive verb
clas·si·fy
ˈklas-ə-ˌfī
classified; classifying
: to arrange in classes that have systematic relations usually founded on common properties
how would you classify these animals
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