had been characterizing

• past perfect progressive

  past perfect progressive

  Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.

  of characterize.
  characterize

  verb (used with object)

  to mark or distinguish as a characteristic; be a characteristic of.

Related Words

• define
• describe
• identify
• indicate
• mark
• outline
• portray
• represent
• symbolize