CHARACTERISTIC Synonyms: 149 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'characteristic' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of characteristic are distinctive , individual , and peculiar . While all these words mean "indicating a special quality or identity," characteristic applies to something that distinguishes or identifies a person or thing or class. // responded with her characteristic wit

Q: When could 'distinctive' be used to replace 'characteristic'?

While in some cases nearly identical to characteristic , distinctive indicates qualities distinguishing and uncommon and often superior or praiseworthy. // a distinctive aura of grace and elegance

Q: When can 'individual' be used instead of 'characteristic'?

Although the words individual and characteristic have much in common, individual stresses qualities that distinguish one from all other members of the same kind or class. // a highly individual writing style

Q: When might 'peculiar' be a better fit than 'characteristic'?

The meanings of peculiar and characteristic largely overlap; however, peculiar applies to qualities possessed only by a particular individual or class or kind and stresses rarity or uniqueness. // an eccentricity that is peculiar to the British

characteristic 1 of 2

noun

ˌker-ik-tə-ˈri-stik

Definition of characteristic

as in trait

something that sets apart an individual from others of the same kind the ability to fashion tools and other characteristics that distinguish human beings from other animals

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

characteristic

2 of 2

adjective

as in distinctive

serving to identify as belonging to an individual or group the characteristic taste of licorice

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in typical

having or showing the qualities associated with the members of a particular group or kind the characteristic wit and good-naturedness of the Irish

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective characteristic contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of characteristic are distinctive, individual, and peculiar. While all these words mean "indicating a special quality or identity," characteristic applies to something that distinguishes or identifies a person or thing or class.

responded with her characteristic wit

When could distinctive be used to replace characteristic?

While in some cases nearly identical to characteristic, distinctive indicates qualities distinguishing and uncommon and often superior or praiseworthy.

a distinctive aura of grace and elegance

When can individual be used instead of characteristic?

Although the words individual and characteristic have much in common, individual stresses qualities that distinguish one from all other members of the same kind or class.

a highly individual writing style

When might peculiar be a better fit than characteristic?

The meanings of peculiar and characteristic largely overlap; however, peculiar applies to qualities possessed only by a particular individual or class or kind and stresses rarity or uniqueness.

an eccentricity that is peculiar to the British

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of characteristic

Noun

Software converts license plate numbers, vehicle make, model, color and other characteristics into information stored in a searchable database. — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 4 Aug. 2026 Here are Tidwell’s minor-league model numbers by Stuff+, which looks at the physical characteristics of a pitch, Location+, which looks at locations, and Pitching+, which combines the two. — Eno Sarris, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026

Adjective

Track three scuttles atop a bed of pine needles and broken eggshells, a nervous, almost dubsteppy rhythm haloed in Four Tet’s characteristic bell tones. — Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 18 July 2026 Generally guys with that type of characteristic get to the foul line. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 16 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for characteristic

Recent Examples of Synonyms for characteristic

Noun

The wonky toe is Jerry's only notable identifying physical trait, Rapp said.

— Natalie B. Compton The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 2 Aug. 2026
Getting there defied logic and demanded resilience, traits that have defined this club during a chaotic season.

— Chandler Rome, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of trait

Adjective

Even before the war, the country had already developed a large legal profession, sophisticated corporate firms, and distinctive constitutional institutions, although European legal systems retained greater intellectual prestige.

— Mark Jia, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2026
The label’s mission emphasizes distinctive creative voices and stories that defy genre convention.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of distinctive

Adjective

Unlike typical private foundations, a POF actively conducts charitable work, such as exhibiting and conserving objects for public access.

— Matthew F. Erskine, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
The product, a combo package called 3D Editor + Canvas, essentially combines typical AI generation (which tends to happen in 2D) with the more advanced CG world (which tends to happen in 3D).

— Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of typical

Noun

The suede and mesh sneakers feature memory foam padding and anti-slip outsoles for a comfortable and supportive fit.

— Isabel Bekele, InStyle, 5 Aug. 2026
The movie, a harrowing account of one family’s separation during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, earned Watts an Oscar nomination for best actress and marked Holland’s acting debut in a live-action feature film.

— Zack Sharf, Variety, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of feature

Adjective

While the precise number of brokers managed by each service varies, there are some distinct differences.

— Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 5 Aug. 2026
Researchers looked at differences between the modern human and Neanderthal genomes and identified distinct genetic changes in Neanderthals’ growth hormone receptor—a key cell protein that helps regulate growth throughout the body.

— Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of distinct

Adjective

This figure has already exceeded the European Commission's estimate for annual wildfire losses across the entire European Union in a normal year.

— , CNBC, 4 Aug. 2026
Since military prototypes often undergo multiple design revisions, such modifications are considered a normal part of the aircraft development process.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of normal

Noun

And the Ivory Coast international — who is expected to cost in the region of £35million — is a player who would add the attributes that Glasner craves.

— Paul Taylor, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026
The punchy track shows Cardi calling out her haters in a playful twist, while listing off the many attributes to her name.

— Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of attribute

Adjective

The new vaccine was found to be about 27% more effective during the 2024–25 respiratory virus season than standard flu shots in Moderna’s study, which enrolled over 40,000 adults 50 and older.

— Elise Haulund, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026
In a late-stage trial, mFlusiva was found to be about 27% more effective than a standard flu shot.

— Berkeley Lovelace Jr, NBC news, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of standard

Browse Nearby Words

charactering

characteristic

characteristics

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Style

“Characteristic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/characteristic. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of characteristic

noun

adjective

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