Thesaurus results for CHARACTERIZING

characterizing

verb

present participle of characterize

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

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 Fazio hammered that note on a few occasions, characterizing Lamont’s tenure as one in which education is worse than when the governor started. — Theo Peck-Suzuki, Hartford Courant, 28 Aug. 2026 That meant probing the components and characterizing their functions. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026 The sources firmly rejected the draft declarations, characterizing them as publicity stunts designed to mock the league, sow division, and draw attention to the topic by demeaning others. — Wayne Sterling, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026 The 49ers did not have an update on the specific injury, characterizing it only as a rib issue. — Matt Barrows, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026 Dana Johnson with the Cobb Chamber of Commerce also spoke in favor of the proposal, characterizing data centers as a form of infrastructure increasingly necessary for businesses, governments, schools and consumers. — Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026 Mangione, despite facing state and federal charges in what some are characterizing as a vigilante-style action against soaring medical costs, has attracted surprising levels of public support. — Brian Mann, NPR, 13 Aug. 2026 Sony clearly wants to thread the needle of appropriately characterizing the new film while stoking audience nostalgia for its counterpart. — Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 11 Aug. 2026 The prosecution opposed the motion, characterizing the pink clothing as victim advocacy rather than jury intimidation. — Kelsie Cairns, FOXNews.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for characterizing

Verb

Patrick Clancy, the prosecution’s first witness, spent two days on the stand describing her downward spiral despite her efforts to seek psychiatric treatment.

— Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2026
Maresca has also probably muddied the waters by refusing to identify a preferred holding midfielder and describing both new players in similar terms.

— Sam Lee, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of describing

Verb

This blind taste taste kit will guide them through distinguishing different bodies and flavors in five mystery single-origin roasted coffees.

— Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 8 Sep. 2026
However, recent scholarship posits that the structure was used as ordinary (rather than punitive) housing, and that the vulgar decor was in fact a distinguishing characteristic of the epoch.

— Jim Greer, SPIN, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of distinguishing

Verb

With his day-old stubble and the tough-guy bearing of someone who has spent decades portraying fearsome characters like Ray Donovan and the X-Men’s Sabretooth, Liev Schreiber doesn’t look like a man who is afraid of anything.

— Ingrid Abramovitch, Architectural Digest, 10 Sep. 2026
Television crime dramas have done their part, too, often portraying the device as an oracle for uncovering the truth when conventional methods fail.

— Brian O'Neill, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of portraying

Verb

Following the unification of Italy in the 19th century, these traditions increasingly came to be understood collectively as Italian cuisine, although regional differences remain a defining feature of the country’s cuisine.

— Laura Payne, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Sep. 2026
But the island’s most recent defining event was the devastation wrought by 2017’s Hurricane Irma.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of defining

Browse Nearby Words

characterizes

characterizing

characterless

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Characterizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/characterizing. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of characterizing

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

hobnob

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Games & Quizzes