typify

verb

typ·​i·​fy ˈti-pə-ˌfī How to pronounce typify (audio)
typified; typifying
Synonyms of typifynext

transitive verb

1
: to represent in typical fashion : to constitute a typical mark or instance of
In Boston, the highly recognizable Brahmin accent … typifies the speech of New England gentry …Valerie Fridland
2
: to embody the essential or salient characteristics of : be the type of
Italian typifies the Romance languages.
typification noun

Examples of typify in a Sentence

His heroic actions typified the courage of all the firefighters at the scene. The decor typifies the elegance of royal residences. He typifies what a professional athlete should be. Gothic architecture is typified by soaring rooflines and stained glass.
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.
The team has a record 31 wins at the short track, which typifies the performance and resilience of NASCAR’s winningest outfit and its redoubtable founder. ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026 His first mature photographs made during his university years revisited Scandinavian Romanticism—typified by the stormy, sublime landscapes of painters such as Johan Christian Dahl—with a sly spin. Chris Wiley, New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2026 David Sengthay, a Stanford senior and the head of the undergraduate-student senate, told me that protests typified the university’s history, up to and including his first two years in Palo Alto. Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026 That typified the diligent approach Tatum has taken to his recovery. Jay King, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for typify

Word History

First Known Use

1622, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of typify was in 1622

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Cite this Entry

“Typify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/typify. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

typify

verb
typ·​i·​fy ˈtip-ə-ˌfī How to pronounce typify (audio)
typified; typifying
1
2
: to have or include the special or main characteristics of

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