characterize
verb
char·ac·ter·ize
ˈker-ik-tə-ˌrīz 
ˈka-rik-
characterized; characterizing
1
: to describe the character (see character entry 1 sense 1a) or quality of
characterizes him as ambitious
2
: to be a characteristic of : distinguish
an era characterized by greed
Examples of characterize in a Sentence
How would you characterize the situation?
I would characterize this as a positive change for our company.
She had difficulty characterizing their relationship.
His personality is hard to characterize.
Farms and large flat fields characterize most of the area.
the beliefs that characterized Europe in the 15th century
Recent Examples on the Web
But despite still amassing wins and accolades, Ledecky – whose early career was characterized by outrageously fast times – hadn’t bagged a world record in seven years.
—
Amy Woodyatt, CNN Money, 25 July 2025
And all these studies are based on self-reporting by individuals, and family members may characterize their roles differently.
—Howard Gleckman, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
Parkinson's is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the weakening of nerve cells, which become damaged and die, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 23 July 2025
The other members of the group also are characterized in distinctly human terms, irrespective of their extraordinary abilities.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for characterize
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Amy Woodyatt, CNN Money, 25 July 2025
And all these studies are based on self-reporting by individuals, and family members may characterize their roles differently.
—Howard Gleckman, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
Parkinson's is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the weakening of nerve cells, which become damaged and die, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 23 July 2025
The other members of the group also are characterized in distinctly human terms, irrespective of their extraordinary abilities.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for characterize
Cite this Entry
“Characterize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/characterize. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
characterize
verb
char·ac·ter·ize
ˈkar-ik-tə-ˌrīz
characterized; characterizing
1
: to point out the character of an individual or group : describe
characterize him as ambitious
2
: to be characteristic of
tragic endings characterized her stories
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