personify
verb
per·son·i·fy
pər-ˈsä-nə-ˌfī 
personified; personifying
1
: to conceive of or represent as a person or as having human qualities or powers
2
: to be the embodiment or personification of : incarnate
a teacher who personified patience
Synonyms
Examples of personify in a Sentence
The ancient Greeks personified the forces of nature as gods and goddesses.
Justice is personified as a woman with her eyes covered.
Recent Examples on the Web
And Golshifteh Farahani has really personified a strong, independent badass heroine.
—
Vulture, 20 June 2023
Naomi Campbell Elegance personified, supermodel Naomi Campbell rocked a skirt and blazer with Louis Vuitton's signature monogram.
—USA TODAY, 20 June 2023
You’re pop personified, so to receive this from your golden pop hands is ..
—Spin Staff, Spin, 13 Sep. 2023
In the early 2000s, Regina George in Mean Girls personified the calculating bully who used verbal abuse and social isolation to harass other students.
—Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 5 Sep. 2023
Elza van den Heever personifies Senta’s passion as well as naivete in a luminous soprano.
—Scott Cantrell, Dallas News, 8 Aug. 2023
In each case, and in Horan’s on Thursday, a key player suddenly came to personify the team’s history and legacy — four World Cup titles, four decades atop world soccer — and turn the momentum her team’s way.
—Juliet MacUr, New York Times, 27 July 2023
Perhaps that’s why The Entity works as a villain, even if the way the movie personifies it with swooshing graphics and eye-like optics is a little hokey.
—Marah Eakin, WIRED, 12 July 2023
This group is personified by Aimee Dunkle, a bereaved mom from Orange County and a board member of Grief Recovery After a Substance Passing, or GRASP.
—Zachary Siegel, The New Republic, 27 June 2023
See More
Vulture, 20 June 2023
Naomi Campbell Elegance personified, supermodel Naomi Campbell rocked a skirt and blazer with Louis Vuitton's signature monogram.
—USA TODAY, 20 June 2023
You’re pop personified, so to receive this from your golden pop hands is ..
—Spin Staff, Spin, 13 Sep. 2023
In the early 2000s, Regina George in Mean Girls personified the calculating bully who used verbal abuse and social isolation to harass other students.
—Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 5 Sep. 2023
Elza van den Heever personifies Senta’s passion as well as naivete in a luminous soprano.
—Scott Cantrell, Dallas News, 8 Aug. 2023
In each case, and in Horan’s on Thursday, a key player suddenly came to personify the team’s history and legacy — four World Cup titles, four decades atop world soccer — and turn the momentum her team’s way.
—Juliet MacUr, New York Times, 27 July 2023
Perhaps that’s why The Entity works as a villain, even if the way the movie personifies it with swooshing graphics and eye-like optics is a little hokey.
—Marah Eakin, WIRED, 12 July 2023
This group is personified by Aimee Dunkle, a bereaved mom from Orange County and a board member of Grief Recovery After a Substance Passing, or GRASP.
—Zachary Siegel, The New Republic, 27 June 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'personify.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1728, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near personify
Cite this Entry
“Personify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/personify. Accessed 1 Oct. 2023.
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Kids Definition
personify
verb
per·son·i·fy
pər-ˈsän-ə-ˌfī
personified; personifying
1
: to think of or represent as a person
personify the forces of nature
2
: to be the perfect example of
she personified kindness
More from Merriam-Webster on personify
Nglish: Translation of personify for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of personify for Arabic Speakers
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