characters 1 of 2

plural of character
1
as in symbols
a written or printed mark that is meant to convey information to the reader the pictorial characters of the ancient Egyptians had long been a mystery

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Relevance
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5
as in identities
the set of qualities that make a person different from other people she regards each of her children as having a distinctive character that should be valued for what it is

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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characters

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of character
as in characterizes
to point out the chief quality or qualities of an individual or group formerly charactered as "the dark ages," that period of history may not have been quite so benighted as once thought

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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 characters
Noun
Gretchen follows many unsavory characters on Instagram, including Tucker Carlson, Joe Rogan, and Ben Carson. Brian Moylan, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025 The characters are all different, but the contrast in personalities was similar. Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025 Quarterback Trubinksy and his wife, Hillary, suited up as characters from Peaky Blinders. Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025 There’s a lot of ways to reboot Breaking Bad and even build shows around characters from Better Call Saul. Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 30 Oct. 2025 That meant letting the characters break instead of triumph. Jp Mangalindan, Time, 30 Oct. 2025 That’s a reasonable route to take, but requires deepening the characters’ emotional lives to get results with pathos in lieu of punchlines. Alison Herman, Variety, 30 Oct. 2025 Who are the Peanuts characters? Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 30 Oct. 2025 In books and movies, though, versions of amnesia lurk everywhere … Amnesiacs might not much exist, but amnesiac characters stumble everywhere through comic books, movies, and our dreams. Literary Hub, 24 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for characters
Noun
  • His TikTok account, investigators noted, also featured anarchist symbols and links to anti-government literature.
    Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2025
  • The collection, set to launch Tuesday, will include both men's and women's apparel and accessories with NFL team symbols.
    Ian Thomas, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Appealing to consumers searching for a piece of history, the store has gained a following of visitors hunting for unique souvenirs, designers on inspiration trips and local eccentrics.
    Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 24 Oct. 2025
  • For Mimi Pond, the desire to do a book about the Mitford sisters – six larger-than-life British eccentrics (and one brother) who created a stir in both British and American culture – was obvious.
    Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The rich and powerful, at least, might have the means to protect their reputations from an onslaught of deepfakes.
    Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025
  • But as the case spirals and loyalties fracture, reputations are on the line, and everyone’s playing to win.
    Jake Kanter, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Ancelotti and Zidane certainly had their own tactical ideas, but were also pragmatic and based game plans primarily on the characteristics (strengths and weaknesses) of the squad made available to them.
    Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
  • For the chattering women, by contrast, the tool of power is writing; and for people who were almost certainly illiterate, the writing takes on almost magical characteristics.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 31 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Just like bibimbap, these parts all keep their unique identities but mix together to make something new and fresh and delightful.
    Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 29 Oct. 2025
  • Each species’ genome contains billions of base pairs, and even small mutations (a few hundred or thousand changes) create new biological identities.
    Big Think, Big Think, 29 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Since welcoming the twins, Sidibe has been candid online about her and Frankel's parenting journey — from flying with two babies to attending swimming lessons and discovering each of the twins' unique personalities.
    Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 1 Nov. 2025
  • The characters are all different, but the contrast in personalities was similar.
    Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Protest organizers have trained thousands in de-escalation techniques and have promised the day will be safe, even as political rhetoric characterizes demonstrators as being aligned with terrorist forces.
    Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 18 Oct. 2025
  • The White House regularly characterizes undocumented immigrants as drivers of urban lawlessness, even though the data show that is not true.
    Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, NPR, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • With unpredictable twists and emotions running high, this Halloween is especially chaotic, and Mutable signs — Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces — can't imagine what's in store.
    Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
  • Front-foot defending and slick attacking interplay, especially on the left flank, has been the blueprint over the past few seasons, but there are signs of evolution.
    Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Characters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/characters. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.

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