characterizing

present participle of characterize
1
as in describing
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 distinguishing
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 characterizing After characterizing the nature of the asteroid, Tianwen-2 will attempt to gather samples. Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 6 July 2026 White added some thoughts about focusing in on people, characterizing what often happens in collaborations. John Werner, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026 Supporters of the high-earner tax for public education have been quick to stress it’s been in place for more than a decade, characterizing any rollback of it as a tax cut for the wealthy. Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 12 June 2026 So much of The Last Supper involved characterizing songs, movies, music videos, paintings, and so on. Literary Hub, 1 June 2026 Many in the scientific research community disagree, characterizing the changes as the White House attempting to usurp autonomy from scientists and career civil servants. Allison Deangelis, STAT, 1 June 2026 The United States has struck a hard line, characterizing the unrest as a coup attempt. ABC News, 27 May 2026 The company temporarily halted the work and offered to repair the road at no cost to the county, characterizing the work as a gift. Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 14 May 2026 Fresh, seasonal produce plays a large part in characterizing the taste of a place, and in Florida’s mild climate much of that flavor can be locally grown. Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 12 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for characterizing
Verb
  • Iran’s semi-official Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA) wrote about the 1989 funeral earlier this week, describing how the enormous crowds exceeded the numbers expected by authorities.
    Xiaoqian Lin, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • Furthermore, Bavarian state lawmaker Bernhard Pohl also welcomed the move, describing it as a long-term guarantee for the future of the Kaufbeuren location and its role within Germany’s expanding missile defense network.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 5 July 2026
Verb
  • Without a stable, verifiable identity, distinguishing genuine business from noise will only become harder for consumers.
    Sammy Ahmed, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • Within the past year or two, Microsoft made this chip distinction the distinguishing trait between consumer and business Surface models.
    Joe Osborne, PC Magazine, 9 July 2026
Verb
  • Athena Bitzis, now 54, of Stone Mountain, performed in the opening ceremony, portraying one of the muses in a segment honoring the ancient origins of the Olympic movement.
    Andrea Clement, AJC.com, 17 July 2026
  • The three have pushed legislation to restrict PAC donations or gifts to Supreme Court justices, portraying it as an effort to rein in elites.
    Hudson Crozier, The Washington Examiner, 16 July 2026
Verb
  • French Renaissance design One of the project’s defining characteristics is using French Renaissance architecture, planning documents show.
    Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 15 July 2026
  • Software is increasingly defining the battlefield, according to Meier.
    Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 15 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Characterizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/characterizing. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

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