Thesaurus results for CHARACTERIZE

characterize

verb

ˈker-ik-tə-ˌrīz

Definition of characterize

as in to describe

to point out the chief quality or qualities of an individual or group how would you characterize the mission of this environmental organization?

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in to distinguish

to be an important feature of an unsightly rash characterizes chicken pox

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 characterize Dana Johnson with the Cobb Chamber of Commerce also spoke in favor of the proposal, characterizing data centers as a form of infrastructure increasingly necessary for businesses, governments, schools and consumers. — Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026 Mangione, despite facing state and federal charges in what some are characterizing as a vigilante-style action against soaring medical costs, has attracted surprising levels of public support. — Brian Mann, NPR, 13 Aug. 2026 El Niño is a climate pattern characterized by warmer ocean waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific, coupled with changing atmospheric conditions, in which the typical east-to-west trade winds weaken or even reverse. — Los Angeles Times, 13 Aug. 2026 The drug’s real-world safety profile appears worse than what was characterized in the small clinical trial. — Adam Feuerstein, STAT, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for characterize

Recent Examples of Synonyms for characterize

Verb

Founded by Kemmu and Nihalani, the company has positioned itself around backing stories described as authentic and character-driven, aiming to balance creative ambition with commercial appeal.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026
Other sailors described to CNN conditions unlike their previous deployments, largely because of the war, which stopped the ship from making stops at friendly ports.

— Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of describe

Verb

Because LLMs can’t reliably distinguish between content in an email sent by an untrusted party and user instructions entered directly into a prompt, the overly solicitous LLM faithfully follows them.

— Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 20 Aug. 2026
The dining room, meanwhile, is distinguished by an ornate coffered ceiling.

— Tori Latham, Robb Report, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of distinguish

Verb

Addressing thousands of officials and delegates at the Great Hall of the People, Xi portrayed China as a country that was facing tough times, but one that would emerge unscathed.

— Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
The film portrays a glamorous night out in Hollywood with each type of character that exists portrayed to get a real snapshot of this deadly disease, which is the leading killer of people under 45 years old in the US.

— Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of portray

Verb

But cultivating consumer trust, as opposed to pursuing rapid product expansion and chasing virality, has become a defining — and differentiating — aspect of Westman Atelier’s go-to-market model.

— Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 21 Aug. 2026
This vector is defined by a list of coordinates, where each coordinate measures how much of a particular attribute that person has.

— Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 21 Aug. 2026