characterization
Americannoun
-
portrayal; description.
the actor's characterization of a politician.
- Synonyms:
- delineation, depiction, representation
-
the act of characterizing or describing the individual quality of a person or thing.
-
the creation and convincing representation of fictitious characters, as in a literary work.
noun
-
description of character, traits, etc
-
the act of characterizing
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of characterization
1560–70; < Medieval Latin charactērizāt ( us ) marked (past participle of charactērizāre to characterize; see -ate 1) + Latin -iōn- -ion
Explanation
If you write a play portraying your workplace as comically disorganized and woefully inefficient, you better hope it makes money, because your boss may fire you for this characterization. The word characterization describes how something is represented. When you break apart the word characterization it’s easy to figure out what it means. Character tells you that this word will likely involve the qualities a person or thing has. The -ization ending means it is a noun — the act of doing something. You can use the word characterization to describe the depiction of a character in a book or a movie, or also as a way a particular person, group, or event is portrayed, such as a journalist’s characterization of a political enemy.
Vocabulary lists containing characterization
Vocabulary to Describe Literary Devices
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Reading: Literature - Fiction - Introductory
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Narrative Writing, List 3
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
To tout that total lack of characterization as unique or revolutionary is a joke.
From Salon • Jun. 4, 2026
McBride said she had been offered an opportunity to perform at a nonpartisan event celebrating all 50 states, but later concluded that characterization was misleading.
From Salon • May 30, 2026
Bondi, who didn’t meet with reporters after her interview, disputed Garcia’s characterization.
From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026
Bodner, who had been with the firm since 2012, disputed that characterization, and claimed the event was an attempt to draw in prospective clients.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026
In different forms Bancroft’s characterization was carried into the next century.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
