profiling

American  

[proh-fahy-ling] / ˈproʊ faɪ lɪŋ /

noun

1. the use of personal characteristics or behavior patterns to make generalizations about a person, as in

2. the use of these characteristics to determine whether a person may be engaged in illegal activity, as in

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profiling British  

/ ˈprəʊˌfaɪlɪŋ /

noun

1. the practice of categorizing people and predicting their behaviour according to particular characteristics such as race or age

   racial profiling

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Example Sentences

Additional analysis using selective ribosome profiling showed that DHX29 is more likely to associate with ribosomes that are reading non-optimal codons.

From Science Daily • Apr. 9, 2026

DNA profiling matched Kirsty and forensics also found minute traces of her blood on Grabham's clothes.

From BBC • Feb. 7, 2026

So he said was disappointed by McDonnell’s unwillingness to call out racial profiling and excessive force by federal agents in Minneapolis and elsewhere.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 31, 2026

Even Palantir’s own employees have expressed concerns about potential ethnic profiling and democratic norms.

From Slate • Jan. 28, 2026

The movement regularly holds protests against police killings of African Americans and against such issues as racial profiling, police brutality, and racial inequality in the United States criminal justice system.

From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler