personify

verb

per·​son·​i·​fy pər-ˈsä-nə-ˌfī How to pronounce personify (audio)
personified; personifying

transitive verb

1
: to conceive of or represent as a person or as having human qualities or powers
2
: to be the embodiment or personification of : incarnate
a teacher who personified patience
personifier noun

Examples of personify in a Sentence

The ancient Greeks personified the forces of nature as gods and goddesses. Justice is personified as a woman with her eyes covered.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
One game after being wadded up and tossed aside like a hot dog wrapper by a Timberwolves team that was just hungrier, the Lakers pushed and shoved and fought their way into personifying a must-win. Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2025 Over time, federal employees and their civil service perks have come to personify taxpayer frustration with government waste and excess. Jessica Guynn, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2025 Al Gore personified this in the aftermath of the 2000 US presidential election whose result was decided by a 5-4 Supreme Court decision rendered more than a month after the election. Mark A. Cohen, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025 The series explores how Bao personifies the idealism and adventurism that defined the city in the 1990s. Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 8 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for personify

Word History

First Known Use

1728, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of personify was in 1728

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Personify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/personify. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

personify

verb
per·​son·​i·​fy pər-ˈsän-ə-ˌfī How to pronounce personify (audio)
personified; personifying
1
: to think of or represent as a person
personify the forces of nature
2
: to be the perfect example of
she personified kindness

More from Merriam-Webster on personify

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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