personify

verb

per·​son·​i·​fy pər-ˈsä-nə-ˌfī How to pronounce personify (audio)
personified; personifying
Synonyms of personifynext

transitive verb

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
personifier noun

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
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.
Meester is pure unhinged mean girl personified as the Kaylinn of Gloria’s imagination, contextualizing every Insta post in the most outrageous extremities that only hurts her own sense of self. Glenn Garner, Deadline, 18 Mar. 2026 Shakespeare in Love actress Gwyneth Paltrow personified the minimalism of the ‘90s with this bubblegum pink taffeta Ralph Lauren evening dress. Kevin Huynh, InStyle, 15 Mar. 2026 The Shakespearean actor had famously played Hamlet on stage at the Old Vic in London, and his magnetic cinematic incarnation would come to personify the character — and in fact, Shakespeare — for a generation of filmgoers. Devan Coggan, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Mar. 2026 Models were also asked to pose as corpses in crime scenes, to personify eating disorders and addictions that models might have. Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for personify

Word History

First Known Use

1728, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of personify was in 1728

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Personify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/personify. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

personify

verb
per·​son·​i·​fy pər-ˈsän-ə-ˌfī How to pronounce personify (audio)
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

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