character 1 of 2

noun

ˈker-ik-tər How to pronounce character (audio)
Definition of characternext
1
as in symbol
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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2
as in eccentric
a person of odd or whimsical habits the junk dealer is certainly a character, but he's as honest as they come

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3
as in morality
conduct that conforms to an accepted standard of right and wrong we need more people of sound character in public office

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4
as in reputation
overall quality as seen or judged by people in general the general character of the business appears to be good

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5
as in characteristic
something that sets apart an individual from others of the same kind one of the distinguishing characters of mammals

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6
as in identity
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

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7
as in self
the set of qualities that makes a person, a group of people, or a thing different from others the basic character of the work requires that an employee be able to work quietly and independently

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8
as in person
a member of the human race you wouldn't believe what kind of characters hang around the bus station

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character

2 of 2

verb

as in to characterize
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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Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of character are attribute, property, and quality. While all these words mean "an intelligible feature by which a thing may be identified," character applies to a peculiar and distinctive quality of a thing or a class.

remarks of an unseemly character

When might attribute be a better fit than character?

The words attribute and character can be used in similar contexts, but attribute implies a quality ascribed to a thing or a being.

the attributes of a military hero

When can property be used instead of character?

The synonyms property and character are sometimes interchangeable, but 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

In what contexts can quality take the place of character?

The meanings of quality and character largely overlap; however, 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 character
Noun
Look for both of these parks to show their true character as the weather warms. —Tony Blengino, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025 The 30-year-old actor’s longevity is clearly due to his willingness to fully commit to his characters, no matter how ridiculous. —Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 27 May 2025 The property that was used as her character Anna Coleman's home in the original movie sadly burned down during the natural disaster. —Natalia Senanayake, People.com, 27 May 2025 And, of course, with my character there wasn’t a lot there. —Mike Ryan, IndieWire, 27 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for character
Recent Examples of Synonyms for character
  1. symbol
  2. eccentric
  3. morality
  4. reputation
  5. characteristic
  6. identity
  7. self
  8. person
Noun
  • In one respect, at least—as a symbol for present-day America—the vehicle really could not be improved.
    — Glenn Adamson, Artforum, 1 June 2025
  • John Brink, a Rand McNally cartographer, came up with a solution: Creating symbols for highways that were printed on the road maps and also put on signs attached to electrical and telephone poles along those roads.
    — Ron Grossman, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2025
Definition of symbol
Noun
  • To take her mind off him, Agathe meets an Austen-like family of eccentrics running the retreat and the sometimes pretentious writers attending it.
    — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 22 May 2025
  • But the settlers’ belief in the value of public goods and embrace of independent thinkers remain woven into the character of the city, which continues to attract artists, eccentrics and writers.
    — Isabelle Taft, New York Times, 4 May 2025
Definition of eccentric
Noun
  • To catch up on his late rent, Winston talks himself into a job at We Deliver, a transportation company with a colorful clientele whose requests can’t help but loosen one’s morality.
    — The New York Times, New York Times, 30 May 2025
  • Regardless of their personal morality, the jurors are going to have a negative view of Mr. Combs, no question.
    — Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 28 May 2025
Definition of morality
Noun
  • The truth about the incident at the Stade de France came out quicker compared to Hillsborough, but the Reds’ reputation had once again been questioned and stained.
    — Julia Andersen, CNN Money, 31 May 2025
  • With its reputation as a culinary destination solidified, the InterContinental Danang just opened another ambitious fine-dining restaurant, Tingara.
    — Liz Provencher, Travel + Leisure, 31 May 2025
Definition of reputation
Noun
  • Besides searching for the likes of methane and ammonia, the characteristics of the planet's atmosphere discernible to JWST could point to which formation model – core accretion or disk instability – is the correct one, or even whether a brand new formation model is needed.
    — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 4 June 2025
  • Key characteristics of individuals with big egos in the workplace include: Domineering behavior.
    — AllBusiness, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
Definition of characteristic
Noun
  • Building the Future on Flexibility According to Rama, the future of identity governance is modular.
    — Tony Bradley, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
  • This paves the way to embody a new identity anchored in aligned thoughts, habits, and actions.
    — Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 28 May 2025
Definition of identity
Noun
  • Despite the usual magnitude of Pride festivities in the nation's capital, Pride organizers say the current political environment has dampened the excitement surrounding the celebration of life and self expression.
    — Alana Wise, NPR, 7 June 2025
  • The state Supreme Court has ruled that a Waterbury man deserves a new trial because his jury wasn’t told to consider his right of self defense before convicting him of manslaughter for shooting to death a bystander during a gunfight on a city street.
    — Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 6 June 2025
Definition of self
Noun
  • The figures’ heads reach the top corners, and the person on the left seems to have an outstretched arm.
    — Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 3 June 2025
  • During prison or jail time, the person behind bars can no longer make much money themselves, and often other family members have to adjust — staying home or cutting their hours, for instance, to care for children.
    — Meg Anderson, NPR, 3 June 2025
Definition of person

Phrases Containing character

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character
character assassination
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Cite this Entry

“Character.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/character. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on character

Nglish: Translation of character for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about character

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