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
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
The pick-up in optimism matches other data characterizing speculative appetite amid this year's extraordinary surge in tech stocks.
—Oliver Renick, CNBC, 12 May 2026
This is among the first steps in characterizing the quality of a particular cacao.
—Ari Daniel, NPR, 10 May 2026
Democrats vow to fight on Suzan DelBene, the top fundraiser for House Democrats, denounced the Virginia Supreme Court decision, characterizing it as four unelected judges casting aside the will of voters.
—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 8 May 2026
Shloime Rand, 34, and Moshe Ben Baila, 76, were stabbed in north London on Wednesday in an incident that national authorities are now characterizing as a terrorist attack.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 30 Apr. 2026
But those infractions do not justify characterizing an entire category of services that helps tens of millions of Americans remain in their homes as rife with fraud and in need of dramatic changes.
—Alison Barkoff, The Conversation, 29 Apr. 2026
But those infractions do not justify characterizing an entire category of services that helps tens of millions of Americans remain in their homes as rife with fraud and in need of dramatic changes.
—Washington Post, 23 Apr. 2026
The author portrays Huntington Beach’s conservative leadership as opportunistic political actors seeking to weaponize local grievances for statewide power, characterizing their efforts to expand influence as built on cultural controversies rather than substantive governance achievements.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
The pick-up in optimism matches other data characterizing speculative appetite amid this year's extraordinary surge in tech stocks.
—Oliver Renick, CNBC, 12 May 2026
This is among the first steps in characterizing the quality of a particular cacao.
—Ari Daniel, NPR, 10 May 2026
Democrats vow to fight on Suzan DelBene, the top fundraiser for House Democrats, denounced the Virginia Supreme Court decision, characterizing it as four unelected judges casting aside the will of voters.
—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 8 May 2026
Shloime Rand, 34, and Moshe Ben Baila, 76, were stabbed in north London on Wednesday in an incident that national authorities are now characterizing as a terrorist attack.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 30 Apr. 2026
But those infractions do not justify characterizing an entire category of services that helps tens of millions of Americans remain in their homes as rife with fraud and in need of dramatic changes.
—Alison Barkoff, The Conversation, 29 Apr. 2026
But those infractions do not justify characterizing an entire category of services that helps tens of millions of Americans remain in their homes as rife with fraud and in need of dramatic changes.
—Washington Post, 23 Apr. 2026
The author portrays Huntington Beach’s conservative leadership as opportunistic political actors seeking to weaponize local grievances for statewide power, characterizing their efforts to expand influence as built on cultural controversies rather than substantive governance achievements.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for characterizing
Verb
-
Xi nonetheless struck a more conciliatory tone when describing the overall relationship.—
Will Weissert,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
-
What Blankfein is describing isn’t a hypothetical.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
The challenge is distinguishing imbalances rooted in fundamentals from those created by policy distortions.—
James Broughel,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
-
Barrière’s distinguishing factor is its marketing, according to Davis-Urman, who has a background in fashion.—
Laya Neelakandan,
CNBC,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Cody Hayes/TikTok Scores of online companies are increasingly turning to generative AI technology to deceive consumers, falsely portraying themselves as struggling small businesses to charge a premium for lower quality products, an ABC News visual investigation found.—
Aaron Katersky,
ABC News,
8 May 2026
-
Adding to the moment was the anticipated appearance of Kevin Thompson, known for portraying Ewoks in Return of the Jedi, and the husband of a Santa Clarita Arts Commissioner.—
Daily News,
Daily News,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
The slice in your hand has a city of origin, a specific oven, a defining cheese and usually a stubborn local who will tell you everyone else is doing it wrong.—
Lauren Schuster,
Miami Herald,
13 May 2026
-
Maika Monroe may have starred in multiple defining horror films of the last 10-plus years, from her breakout in It Follows to the recent box-office smash Longlegs, but no amount of scream-queen credits could prepare her for the gory terror of Victorian Psycho.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Characterizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/characterizing. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
