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.
The dropoff is unusual for a company long characterized by constant growth and unrelenting acquisitions.
It was Byers who characterized the case as “an investigation into murder,” according to the document.
From Los Angeles Times
In a January 2 BlackRock column, Rieder said the inflation "storm has passed," characterizing labor market weakness as the bigger priority.
From Barron's
"It's important that we develop as many methodologies for tracking and characterizing space debris as possible."
From Science Daily
Set in the Mississippi Delta during the Jim Crow era, the film is often characterized as a horror movie, which is understandable given the villain is a vampire.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
