personify

verb

per·son·i·fy | \pər-ˈsä-nə-ˌfī

personified; personifying

Definition of personify

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

Other Words from personify Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about personify

Keep scrolling for more

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

Or the Europeans, personified by the German settler Herr Muller who is afraid of the Indians? — Outlander Fan, Marie Claire, "5 Biggest Takeaways From 'Outlander' Season 4 Episode 5," 3 Dec. 2018 And that partner, Philipp Vossberg, is villainy personified. — John Anderson, WSJ, "‘Beat’ Review: Justice on the Dance Floor," 8 Nov. 2018 The bearded bikers in black leather knelt gently in the shrines and gazed up at images of Avalokiteshvara, a bodhisattva personifying infinite compassion and mercy. — Lawrence Osborne, Town & Country, "Why Everyone Is Traveling to Bhutan," 30 Mar. 2015 Dads, meanwhile, are easier to define, as simply harmless and corny — as basically dad jokes personified. — Bijan Stephen, The Verge, "Toward a taxonomy of men online," 14 Aug. 2018 Michael personified the qualities of the greatest generation. — courant.com, "Michael Popovich," 24 June 2018 Lee Raymond, Exxon’s boss from 1993 to 2005, personified the swagger at the heart of the company’s ethos. — Bradley Olson, WSJ, "Exxon, Once a ‘Perfect Machine,’ Is Running Dry," 13 July 2018 But nobody personified the whole performance like Green, who finished with an understated nine points and four assists. — Zach Osterman, Indianapolis Star, "Insider: Devonte Green has been earning Archie Miller's trust. Monday, IU guard showed why.," 5 Feb. 2018 Image Stretching across 800 square miles of bucolic hills, Britain’s Cotswolds region includes countless charming villages in five counties that personify the enduring appeal of the English countryside. — New York Times, "36 Hours in the Cotswolds," 17 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'personify.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.