characterized

verb

past tense of characterize
1
as in described
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

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2
as in distinguished
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 characterized Adam Hamilton Hamilton, the Democratic nominee, has characterized the war as a major foreign policy blunder. — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 17 Oct. 2026 Shigella bacteria cause shigellosis, an illness characterized by severe diarrhea, that is sometimes bloody or prolonged, and fever. — Charlotte Observer, 16 Oct. 2026 But Coker said school board members should be able to explore ideas, ask difficult questions, and evaluate options without every preliminary discussion being characterized as a predetermined course of action. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Oct. 2026 Carol Witham, an ecologist and volunteers for the California Native Plant Society, characterized that as a win. — Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 16 Oct. 2026 Experts have attributed the uptick to El Niño, a climate pattern characterized by warmer ocean waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific. — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026 This homogenization was already underway with the rise of the Instagram Face, characterized by prominent cheekbones, fuller lips, sharp jawlines and lifted eyes. — Amy O’Brien, Vogue, 13 Oct. 2026 The shoes feature a black-and-white colorway and are characterized by the Majolica tile print. — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026 Schelcher characterized the incident as not only a burden for his company but a threat to French food security. — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 12 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for characterized
  1. described
  2. distinguished
  3. portrayed
  4. marked
  5. defined
Verb
  • DiFuria described a billionaire family that went from feeling guilty about their spending to owning yachts and planes and moving to an area where other billionaires live.
    — Molly A. Wallace, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
  • There’s a week in the novel during which Lee goes to San Francisco that is implied but not described.
    — Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of described
Verb
  • This threshold describes the minimum separation at which two contact points can be distinguished.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The 10th Circuit, however, carefully distinguished Colorado’s program from the ones in those landmark rulings.
    — Preston Green III, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of distinguished
Verb
  • The story summarizes and analyzes the Cubs’ criticism of Wrigley View Rooftop’s business model of selling seats and concessions to ticket holders to watch events at Wrigley Field, a business model the Cubs portrayed as parasitic.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Across his career and many roles, Riehle has portrayed Santa Claus in eight different projects, including five films, two television shows, and a television movie.
    — Isabelle Farina, Variety, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of portrayed
Verb
  • The developmental flight test marked a significant step because the RIG-360 system and a PAC-3 missile communicated with each other during flight.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Tuesday’s civil court hearing marked the first time Avery and Gonzalez appeared in court together since her arrest.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of marked
Verb
  • The Packers have appeared to find some consistency on the defensive side, and their passing attack is defined enough to attack this Cowboys secondary.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Oct. 2026
  • And the fact that its end coincides with an onslaught of other work is not lost on Brammall, whose career, with a few exceptions, has been largely defined by his work in the Southern Hemisphere.
    — Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of defined

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characterized
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Cite this Entry

“Characterized.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/characterized. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

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