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Synonyms

characterized

American  
[kar-ik-tuh-rahyzd] / ˈkær ɪk təˌraɪzd /
especially British, characterised

adjective

  1. having been described or distinguished.

    Further identification is possible by comparing the unknown organism with a characterized organism.

verb

  1. the simple past tense and past participle of characterize.

Other Word Forms

  • noncharacterized adjective
  • uncharacterized adjective
  • well-characterized adjective

Etymology

Origin of characterized

characterize ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. )

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 researchers characterized the device as needed to help develop marine resources.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

Meme stocks are typically characterized by high trading volumes and price volatility, often driven by social-media trends.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026

He characterized the historic site as “rusting and rotting.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

Since becoming president, Trump has essentially replicated the formula that characterized his career as a businessman: promoting his name like a brand, engraved in gold letters on his golf clubs, hotels and merchandise.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

Lice carried an infectious disease called trench fever, characterized by chills and high fever, which put thousands of men out of action.

From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman

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.