characterize
Americanverb (used with object)
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to mark or distinguish as a characteristic; be a characteristic of.
Rich metaphors characterize his poetry.
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to describe the character or individual quality of.
He characterized her in a few well-chosen words.
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to attribute character to.
to characterize him as a coward.
verb
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to be a characteristic of
loneliness characterized the place
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to distinguish or mark as a characteristic
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to describe or portray the character of
Other Word Forms
- characterizable adjective
- characterizer noun
- mischaracterize verb (used with object)
- recharacterize verb (used with object)
Etymology
Origin of characterize
First recorded in 1585–95; from Medieval Latin charactērizāre, from Greek charaktērízein; character, -ize
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.
And some experts predict that such an arrangement will characterize the regime in Iran a year or two from now.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026
Until job creation spreads well beyond healthcare, it would be hard to characterize the labor market as anything but lukewarm.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 5, 2026
"At this point, it matters where every atom is, and it's really hard to characterize."
From Science Daily • Mar. 5, 2026
Likewise, at Bristol-Myers Squibb, pilots aren’t an accurate way to characterize the company’s AI work, Chief Digital and Technology Officer Greg Meyers said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026
And each time, he displayed the same level of grief, what people who heard him would characterize as inescapable sincerity.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
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.
