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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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characterizesimple
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characterizessimple
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have characterizedperfect
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has characterizedperfect
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am characterizingprogressive
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are characterizingprogressive
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is characterizingprogressive
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have been characterizingperfect progressive
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has been characterizingperfect progressive
Past
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characterizedsimple
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had characterizedperfect
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was characterizingprogressive
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were characterizingprogressive
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had been characterizingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of characterize
First recorded in 1585–95; from Medieval Latin charactērizāre, from Greek charaktērízein; see character, -ize
Explanation
To characterize someone is to describe them in a certain way, to try to pin down his or her personality. If you say your dad is stingy, you are characterizing him as a miser. See the word character in characterize? Two meanings of character can help you understand this word. We all have character, meaning we all have unique personalities. Also, characters are people in books, movies, plays, and TV shows. Characterizing has to do with summing up how a person acts in real life or is portrayed in a work of fiction.
Vocabulary lists containing characterize
The SAT: Language of the Test, List 1
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The Language of Standardized Tests, List 1
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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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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.
An unapologetic devotee of the outrageous antics and high melodrama which characterize the genre, Oliver said, “Write me a role and I will be on your set so fast it will make your head swim.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 29, 2026
There is no other way to characterize that other than as a disappointment.
From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026
"By capturing the faint light emitted by this filament, which traveled for just under 12 billion years to reach Earth, we were able to precisely characterize its shape," explains Davide Tornotti.
From Science Daily • May 16, 2026
But without the proper documentation or court-ordered child support, the Internal Revenue Service could characterize this money as a gift or settlement.
From MarketWatch • May 16, 2026
“A blood type that you would characterize as rare?”
From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson
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.
