profiling

noun

pro·​fil·​ing ˈprō-ˌfī-liŋ 

: the act or process of extrapolating information about a person based on known traits or tendencies

consumer profiling

specifically : the act of suspecting or targeting a person on the basis of observed characteristics or behavior

racial profiling

Examples of profiling in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

McCallany and Jonathan Groff starred as the fictional Tench and Holden Ford, based on the FBI agents who pioneered the modern system of serial-killer profiling. —Glenn Garner, Deadline, 18 June 2025

The lawsuit, brought by the United Farm Workers and Central Valley residents, accused the agency of brazen racial profiling of people in a days-long enforcement. —Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2025

The raids have sparked growing concerns about due process violations and racial profiling. —Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 May 2025

Following legal challenges and accusations of racial profiling, the Obama administration let all task force model agreements expire in 2012 and limited 287(g) enforcement to jail book-ins. —Julia Ingram, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1980, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for profiling

• beguiling
• compiling
• refiling
• reviling
• stockpiling
• unsmiling
• filing
• piling
• smiling
• styling
• tiling
• reconciling

Legal Definition

profiling

noun

pro·​fil·​ing

: the practice of singling out persons for law enforcement procedures on the basis of predetermined characteristics

specifically : the discriminatory practice of profiling based on race or ethnicity

racial profiling