1
as in describes
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 distinguishes
to be an important feature of
an unsightly rash characterizes chicken pox
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of characterizes
Resilience characterizes many young basketball players at SCC Dixon said.
—
Nicole Gregory,
Oc Register,
25 June 2026
Under that view, a taxpayer who actively participates in management should not receive the benefit simply because state law characterizes the interest as a limited partnership interest.
—
Virginia La Torre Jeker,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
The network characterizes the request for edits as something that should be happening in the newsroom.
—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
7 June 2026
Near the end of the play, Majok’s script becomes, like Mann’s score, flatter and broader in its messaging, losing some of its sharpness of observation, and the humor that characterizes Kaysen’s memoir fades.
—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
5 June 2026
While the blood-brain barrier may be unfamiliar to many, Papapetropoulos characterizes it simply as the brain’s security system.
—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
The Padres scored in the seventh because of another thing that characterizes the young Nationals, who are 28-28.
—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 May 2026
The conflation of multimodality and hypertextuality has been labeled hypermodality by researchers in order to highlight that the dynamic web of connectivity that characterizes hypertexts goes beyond monomodal texts with recurrent and recognizable characteristics.
—
Carmen Daniela Maier,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
26 May 2026
In the past couple of decades, however, Czernowin has deëmphasized the frantic gesturing that characterizes so much latter-day modernism.
—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Nicole Gregory,
Oc Register,
25 June 2026
Under that view, a taxpayer who actively participates in management should not receive the benefit simply because state law characterizes the interest as a limited partnership interest.
—
Virginia La Torre Jeker,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
The network characterizes the request for edits as something that should be happening in the newsroom.
—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
7 June 2026
Near the end of the play, Majok’s script becomes, like Mann’s score, flatter and broader in its messaging, losing some of its sharpness of observation, and the humor that characterizes Kaysen’s memoir fades.
—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
5 June 2026
While the blood-brain barrier may be unfamiliar to many, Papapetropoulos characterizes it simply as the brain’s security system.
—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
The Padres scored in the seventh because of another thing that characterizes the young Nationals, who are 28-28.
—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 May 2026
The conflation of multimodality and hypertextuality has been labeled hypermodality by researchers in order to highlight that the dynamic web of connectivity that characterizes hypertexts goes beyond monomodal texts with recurrent and recognizable characteristics.
—
Carmen Daniela Maier,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
26 May 2026
In the past couple of decades, however, Czernowin has deëmphasized the frantic gesturing that characterizes so much latter-day modernism.
—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for characterizes
Verb
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The 3,200-square-foot residence at 10825 Lola Montez Road in Soda Springs, about 90 minutes from Sacramento via Interstate 80, includes three bedrooms and four bathrooms, but the listing describes it more like a private Sierra camp than a conventional home.
-
In Apple in China, the Financial Times reporter Patrick McGee describes how the US firm’s advanced manufacturing supply chain birthed China’s world-beating consumer electronics sector.
Verb
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Kelce spotlighting Swift’s intelligence A true golden retriever boyfriend distinguishes himself by appreciating his partner’s smarts.
-
What distinguishes Union County from a standard addiction narrative is that Poulter and Centineo are flanked by nonactors, the overall effect hovering somewhere between fiction and nonfiction.
Verb
-
Michael is a 2026 biopic directed by Antoine Fuqua, in which Jackson portrays his uncle, Michael Jackson.
-
Jaafar Jackson, the singer’s real-life nephew, portrays Michael Jackson in his acting debut, with Colman Domingo and Nia Long as parents, Joe and Katherine.
Verb
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The cruise line’s Marella Explorer 2 also offers cruises exclusively for grown-ups, which the line defines as those 17 and older.
-
The company’s bet is that the same speed that defines its team can be brought to the systems companies rely on every day.
Cite this Entry
“Characterizes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/characterizes. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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