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.
That expanded gene therapy beyond rare inherited disorders and into complex diseases characterized by rapidly dividing cells.
Hanne had not been amused by the frugality that characterized our 18 months in New York, a city then and now where some spending money makes a big difference in the quality of life.
From Barron's
What characterizes poor households isn’t that people earn the minimum wage.
He described the call with Putin as “very productive” and characterized the Russian leader as “very serious” about peace.
From Salon
The 20th century was characterized by industrial might, lowering the cost of manufacturing, transportation and computing.
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.
