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
Relevance
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
But Rodriguez and Patacsil expressed skepticism about how other members were characterizing that advice.
—
Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Oct. 2025
Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, condemned the protest, characterizing it as an attempt to obstruct law enforcement operations.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
In an amicus brief filed to the Supreme Court, the American Psychological Association, the American Psychiatric Association and 12 other professional bodies argued that characterizing talk therapy as mere speech fundamentally misunderstands its therapeutic use and purpose.
—Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 7 Oct. 2025
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
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
Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Oct. 2025
Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, condemned the protest, characterizing it as an attempt to obstruct law enforcement operations.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
In an amicus brief filed to the Supreme Court, the American Psychological Association, the American Psychiatric Association and 12 other professional bodies argued that characterizing talk therapy as mere speech fundamentally misunderstands its therapeutic use and purpose.
—Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 7 Oct. 2025
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for characterizing
Verb
-
Mamdani has also been criticized for describing himself as a Democratic Socialist and pushing for government run grocery stores and free buses.—
Jenni Fink,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Court records obtained by KOCO include several emotional victim impact statements describing lasting fear and trauma.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
People would devote entire dissertations to developing techniques for distinguishing handwritten digits or for recognizing faces in images; then a deep-learning algorithm would digest the underlying data, discover the subtleties of the problem, and make those projects seem obsolete.—
James Somers,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
-
As America’s capital of both wine production and pleasant weather, California has any number of towns that capture this experience, each with distinguishing characteristics that suit different types of travelers.—
Justin Goldman,
AFAR Media,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Lillard is perhaps known for portraying Stu Macher — one-half of the horror-obsessive-turned-serial-killing duo, alongside Skeet Ulrich’s Billy Loomis — in the 1996 original, which has since spawned a decades-long franchise.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
2 Nov. 2025
-
The announcement says that actors portraying Cynthia Lennon, Brian Epstein, George Martin, Ravi Shankar, and other key roles will be forthcoming.—
Brian Welk,
IndieWire,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
If certified, the Johnson case could establish a significant precedent in defining the Education Department’s obligations under the FCRA.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Receiving a Michelin star can elevate a restaurant’s reputation globally and is often seen as a career-defining achievement for chefs.—
Diana Leyva,
Nashville Tennessean,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Characterizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/characterizing. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share