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

Eco-design requirements will be defined for each product category according to its specific characteristics and the methodological framework of the PEF method. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 29 July 2026 These characteristics required quite a bit of engineering wizardry. — New Atlas, 29 July 2026

Adjective

This could likely be the last World Cup for the 39-year-old superstar Lionel Messi, who is contributing as effectively as ever, with his characteristic walk up and down the field as teammates and defenders around him jog to and fro. — Becky Sullivan, NPR, 14 July 2026 The film’s existence was confirmed by the Hollywood trades, but details were of course scarce, as Baron Cohen made the project in characteristic secrecy. — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 13 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

Night after night, Swift would perform for more than three hours, running back her career one era at a time, each one its own world with distinctive sets, costumes, and colors.

— Mitch Therieau, New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2026
Trademark law protects distinctive brand identifiers—like words and symbols—that tell the public exactly who is behind a product.

— Ashlee Difuntorum, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of distinctive

Adjective

That 1982 campaign was typical of the misfortune that plagued Keegan’s international career.

— James Pearce, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Cases of cyclosporiasis are known to rise during spring and summer months in the US, with a typical season running from the start of May through the end of August, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

— Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 21 July 2026

Definition of typical

Noun

Many of them feature amenities like a basketball court, weight rooms and a pool, while others may have unique features like boxing gyms or an ice rink.

— Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 22 July 2026
Apple might delay the full rollout of these desktop AI utilities beyond the initial Q4 2026 macOS 27 release, preferring a staggered approach to unify features across platforms, mirroring iOS.

— Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

Definition of feature

Adjective

The result is an oyster with a distinct earthy brine and mild sweetness, less salty than its East Coast cousins, and with a plump, meaty bite.

— Gabi De la Rosa, Southern Living, 29 July 2026
Food and drink The hotel runs four dining venues plus a poolside bar, all of which have distinct identities, styles, and vibes.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 July 2026

Definition of distinct

Adjective

That matters because if the public and investors start to doubt inflation will get back to normal, workers would likely demand major wage hikes and companies would preemptively raise prices.

— Matt Egan, CNN Money, 28 July 2026
There was an intervention with a client to navigate a relationship dynamic, and a lifestyle decision was outside of my normal coaching repertoire.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 27 July 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 microreactor breaks down into standard shipping modules that travel by road and assemble directly on site.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 29 July 2026
Its integrated unibody clip attaches to laptops, monitors or standard tripods and it can be used in landscape, portrait and even upside-down orientations.

— Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 29 July 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 4 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of characteristic

noun

adjective

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