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 The show takes a major leap in characterizing the relationship between Gein and hardware store owner/manager Bernice Worden as romantic. Jr Radcliffe, jsonline.com, 6 Oct. 2025 The young researchers inspired by that discovery are, today, leading the charge in discovering and characterizing thousands of exoplanets with some of the most expensive telescopes and space missions ever constructed. Keith Cooper, Space.com, 6 Oct. 2025 Putin dismissed Western accusations that Russia was behind drone flights over Denmark, characterizing them as NATO attempts to stir tensions and drive up defense spending. Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Oct. 2025 Abarca says complaints overblown Abarca, at the time, welcomed the investigation, characterizing the complaints as overblown. Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 27 Sep. 2025 Longtime Pentagon press corps members and press freedom groups roundly condemned the move, characterizing it as an alarming shift away from decades of precedent set by previous administrations. Rebecca Schneid, Time, 20 Sep. 2025 This study contributes to a growing body of research aimed at characterizing threats to the ocean’s apex predators. Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 10 Sep. 2025 And, since Congress expects workers and employers to be (cough) creative when characterizing wages as tips to avoid paying taxes on otherwise taxable income, Treasury is authorized to issue additional guidance to prevent abuse. Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2025 By contrast, Ka’iana and his family’s landing spot with Kamehameha’s base of power in Hawaii, as well as their foes, needed to be grounded in the land, while still doing the work of characterizing the different factions. Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 26 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for characterizing
Verb
  • During the Vatican audience, Leo received dozens of letters from migrants expressing fear of deportation and describing the emotional toll of living under constant threat.
    Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Abdilahi made the case for recognition, describing Somaliland’s people as distinct from the rest of Somalia, which has been plagued by instability for decades.
    Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • And investors have a hard time in the middle of this excitement, distinguishing between the good ideas and the bad ideas.
    Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2025
  • The key is distinguishing between deal-breakers and workable differences.
    Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In 2010—back when the same Republican Party that now flags the dangers of food dyes and seed oils was portraying Let’s Move!
    Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2025
  • The White House has also continued to troll House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries with AI videos portraying Jeffries in a sombrero and fake mustache.
    Joey Garrison, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Bubble hems returned across skirts, pants and jackets, proving the detail can feel sharp and modern when well executed, while skirts in every form — sharp and structured, flowing and asymmetric — emerged as the defining piece of spring 2026.
    Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2025
  • This absence of shame is a defining generational factor.
    Glynnis MacNicol, Flow Space, 8 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Characterizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/characterizing. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.

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