1
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
2
as in to distinguish
to be an important feature of
an unsightly rash characterizes chicken pox
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of characterize
The high-gloss finish is a dramatic (and welcome) reprieve from the traditional wood surfaces that characterize the genre.
—
Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 1 Aug. 2025
Waldrop, however, dismissed the allegations, characterizing the claims as inaccurate and an unfortunate byproduct of being in the construction business.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Aug. 2025
Extreme fire weather ― characterized by low humidity, wind gusts and heat ― and rough terrain continued to challenge fire crews, which have achieved 9% containment.
—Michelle Cruz, AZCentral.com, 1 Aug. 2025
Chaim Grade became a writer in Lithuania but wrote his best novels in the Bronx after the Holocaust, recording in Yiddish the conflict between Jewish tradition and secular thinking that had characterized a whole world swept away.
—Daphne Merkin, The New York Review of Books, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for characterize
Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 1 Aug. 2025
Waldrop, however, dismissed the allegations, characterizing the claims as inaccurate and an unfortunate byproduct of being in the construction business.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Aug. 2025
Extreme fire weather ― characterized by low humidity, wind gusts and heat ― and rough terrain continued to challenge fire crews, which have achieved 9% containment.
—Michelle Cruz, AZCentral.com, 1 Aug. 2025
Chaim Grade became a writer in Lithuania but wrote his best novels in the Bronx after the Holocaust, recording in Yiddish the conflict between Jewish tradition and secular thinking that had characterized a whole world swept away.
—Daphne Merkin, The New York Review of Books, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for characterize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for characterize
Verb
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The post described troops working behind the scenes in police offices, and conducting traffic management and manning perimeters around crime scenes when necessary.—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
17 Aug. 2025
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At least seven students at a Park Hill School District middle school described uncomfortable interactions with Washington to Platte County Sheriff’s Office detectives, court records show.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
17 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The team took apart the malaria problem and tried something new: detect the wingbeat frequency—to distinguish it from other insects—of a female Anopheles in flight and shoot it down.—
Robert C. Wolcott,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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The fraudsters are poisoning the well for profit and if they're not stopped soon, then the days of being able to trust the body of scientific literature, and of having the ability to distinguish between scientific fact and scientific fake, may be coming to an end.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Verb
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South Park went after Homeland Security on its social media pages and made Vice President JD Vance a key target in the latest episode, portraying him toddler-sized next to Trump.—
Joshua Sammons,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Aug. 2025
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American leaders and commentators often portrayed international adversaries in unflattering and discursive brushstrokes.—
Time,
Time,
8 Aug. 2025
Verb
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And over time a cadre of chefs have learned to use these riches in a way that distinctly defines the city’s cuisine.—
Pervaiz Shallwani,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
12 Aug. 2025
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Both stylists say to define curls using a curl cream and a diffuser.—
Catharine Malzahn,
Glamour,
11 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Characterize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/characterize. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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