property

noun

ˈprä-pər-tē How to pronounce property (audio)
Definition of propertynext
1
as in plot
a small piece of land that is developed or available for development bought a secluded property in the mountains

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in characteristic
something that sets apart an individual from others of the same kind the ability to be magnetized is a common property of metals

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word property different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of property are attribute, character, and quality. While all these words mean "an intelligible feature by which a thing may be identified," property implies a characteristic that belongs to a thing's essential nature and may be used to describe a type or species.

the property of not conducting heat

Where would attribute be a reasonable alternative to property?

While the synonyms attribute and property are close in meaning, attribute implies a quality ascribed to a thing or a being.

the attributes of a military hero

When is it sensible to use character instead of property?

The words character and property can be used in similar contexts, but character applies to a peculiar and distinctive quality of a thing or a class.

remarks of an unseemly character

When is quality a more appropriate choice than property?

Although the words quality and property have much in common, quality is a general term applicable to any trait or characteristic whether individual or generic.

material with a silky quality

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 property While the cause of Sunday’s crash is still under investigation, Miami International Airport lacks a key safety feature that might have prevented the aircraft from overrunning the airport property and reaching a roadway, aviation experts said. — Maria Aguilar Prieto, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2026 Iron minerals are separated from waste based on their magnetic properties. — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026 Bears should just be moving through your property, not sticking around to play, nurse their cubs, or eat. — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 7 Sep. 2026 The Southside property was most recently home to The Magnolia wine bar, which closed in April. — Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for property
Recent Examples of Synonyms for property
  1. plot
  2. characteristic
  3. tract
  4. quality
  5. parcel
  6. feature
  7. trait
  8. attribute
Noun
  • Even though the tides are slowly turning, many video games have formulaic plots that reinforce old-school gender and heteronormative roles, often featuring a hero saving a damsel in distress from a menacing villain.
    — Angelica Frey, JSTOR Daily, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Structurally, the plot tries to juggle two parallel threads, and both miss the mark.
    — Gabriel Zamora, PC Magazine, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of plot
Noun
  • What’s more useful in understanding the world is a straightforward accounting of it—a kind of double-entry inventory of its characteristics.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Tactile sensor data has very different characteristics to the image data VLAs are normally trained on, and tactile datasets lag far behind the internet-scale of many vision and language datasets.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of characteristic
Noun
  • This insight could lead to more accurate care for those with urinary tract symptoms.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Although Salmonella primarily originates in the intestinal tracts of people and animals, including insects and birds, the bacterium is commonly found in the environment.
    — Kimberly Baker, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of tract
Noun
  • Researchers need to establish what remains in the purified water and whether those substances could affect drug quality or patient safety.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 8 Sep. 2026
  • As the pair chase show jumping immortality this weekend, those are the qualities that will be needed to make history.
    — Danielle Rossingh, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of quality
Noun
  • Since vehicles used for farming, trucking food and other goods, and mail and parcel deliveries usually run on diesel, prices of almost everything may rise soon, analysts said.
    — Medora Lee, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Floating solar gives cities another way to attack that expense without buying a huge parcel of land.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of parcel
Noun
  • Factory floor gets smarter One of the main features planned for BIC North is ASML’s new flow factory, a manufacturing model designed for its TWINSCAN lithography systems.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2026
  • When the device is closed, a smaller exterior screen on the front cover provides quick access to key apps and features.
    — Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of feature
Noun
  • Other soccer-like traits at Ryan Field include a very high proportion of the seats being under cover and the striking sight that what Americans across the land have come to know as the Upper Deck experience just does not exist here.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026
  • His ability to square the ball up and not chase out of the strike zone are probably his best traits.
    — Jim Bowden, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of trait
Noun
  • Characters disappear, or have their attributes and actions assigned to different characters.
    — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • In recent years, interest in particular attributes, like low-carb beers, has also been a factor in consumer preferences.
    — Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of attribute

Phrases Containing property

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properties
property
property tax
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Cite this Entry

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

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More from Merriam-Webster on property

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about property

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