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
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characterizernoun
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mischaracterizeverb (used with object)
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characterizableadjective
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recharacterizeverb (used with object)
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has characterizedperfect 3rd person singular
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have characterizedperfect
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am characterizingprogressive 1st person singular
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is characterizingprogressive 3rd person singular
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are characterizingprogressive
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has been characterizingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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characterizingparticiple
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characterizessingular 3rd person
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have been characterizingperfect progressive
Past
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had characterizedperfect
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had been characterizingperfect progressive
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was characterizingprogressive singular
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characterizedparticiple
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were characterizingprogressive plural
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characterizedsimple
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.
Characterize it as you will, José Hernández has it by the boatload.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 14, 2023
Characterize the situation more as the roster needs to account for a few traditional center services to play small ball effectively.
From Washington Post • Jun. 27, 2018
Characterize his proposals however you will, but one word can describe Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s state of the city speech on Thursday: chutzpah.
From New York Times • Jan. 13, 2012
Q. Characterize briefly the system under which the American people live.
From Time Magazine Archive
How to Characterize Surface.—Suppose we commence simply with straight lines.
From Carpentry for Boys In a Simple Language, Including Chapters on Drawing, Laying Out Work, Designing and Architecture With 250 Original Illustrations by Zerbe, James Slough
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.
