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
-
to be a characteristic of
loneliness characterized the place
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to distinguish or mark as a characteristic
-
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.
In the days that followed, Banks and fellow executive producer Ken Mok turned it into a storyline, characterizing what happened not as a violation but as Sullivan’s failing.
From Salon
The author argues that contemporary American business and government leaders are fundamentally characterized by an absence of character, which the author defines as steadfastness, selflessness, self-sacrifice, honesty, and integrity in dealings with others.
From Los Angeles Times
Wingstop management has characterized the decline as cyclical rather than structural, noting that part of the weakness stemmed from lapping two years of exceptionally strong results.
From Barron's
This provided clear evidence of acromesomelic dysplasia, Maroteaux type -- a very rare inherited disorder characterized by severe short stature and significant shortening of the limbs.
From Science Daily
“Overall, I would characterize the changes in American entertainment as a boom in convenience and choice,” says Surdam.
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.
