typify
Americanverb
-
to be typical of; characterize
-
to symbolize or represent completely, by or as if by a type
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
typifysimple
-
typifiessimple
-
have typifiedperfect
-
has typifiedperfect
-
am typifyingprogressive
-
are typifyingprogressive
-
is typifyingprogressive
-
have been typifyingperfect progressive
-
has been typifyingperfect progressive
Past
-
typifiedsimple
-
had typifiedperfect
-
was typifyingprogressive
-
were typifyingprogressive
-
had been typifyingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of typify
Explanation
To typify is to represent what is typical of something or someone. You might say that screaming and door slamming typify your spoiled cousin if that kind of behavior is exactly the kind of thing she usually does. Something that's characteristic of a group of people typifies them. You might observe, for example, that studying late on a Friday night typifies your college friends who are math majors. You could also say that sunny days and cool nights typify autumn in New England, since that's the typical weather for that particular place and time. The root word is Greek — typos, which means "dent, impression, mark, figure, or original form."
Vocabulary lists containing typify
"The Minister's Black Veil" by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Namesake
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Articles on Dangers of Technology
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Such banalities as “Memories are magic,” “It’s not a dream, it’s a nightmare” and “you don’t drag me down, you make me soar” typify the leaden nature of the writing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
Wales' shirt numbers were falling off to confuse matters and typify the frantic opening exchanges.
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2023
If it was a noninflammatory comment, it also is the kind that has seemed to come to typify who Witherspoon is — someone who doesn’t appear to be too awed by much of anything.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 12, 2023
Nonetheless, NEV sales that typify big-ticket spending have mirrored a tepid rebound in consumption after China abruptly ended COVID-19 containment measures late last year.
From Reuters ● Jun. 8, 2023
This is a most glorious passage, unfolding to us the true idea of what circumcision was meant to typify.
From Notes on the Book of Genesis by Charles Henry Mackintosh
When everything else is stripped away, that alone typifies Martin’s failure of leadership.
From Salon ● Jul. 26, 2026
Mr. Macfarlane’s Norwegian allusion typifies this feast of a book.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
But if McDavid, arguably the best player in the NHL, typifies the skill and grace with which the high-flying Oilers play, then Lizotte represents the blue-collar, lunch-bucket approach that defines the Kings.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 30, 2024
"He typifies what we're talking about," Farrell said of Crowley, who kicked 13 points.
From BBC ● Feb. 3, 2024
Perhaps nothing better typifies the strange and often accidental nature of chemical science in its early days than a discovery made by a German named Hennig Brand in 1675.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
And he has looked to do this while sticking to the intense and chaotic style that typified his previous sides.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
They also suggest that the disinflation earlier this year may have been another of the false dawns that have typified recent Fed performance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 12, 2026
He typified the Lakers’ adaptability with 32 assists in the last five games of the regular season after averaging 1.7 assists per game since joining the team.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 19, 2026
And Monday - the 10th day of an operation that has rattled allies and shaken markets - typified this confusion around the war's timeline and ultimate goals.
From BBC ● Mar. 9, 2026
There was even a brand of harsh satire in my parents’ quest itself, because it typified the American belief that everything can be solved by doctors.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
The work was unveiled in 1920 in a ceremony that lauded Otis for typifying “the ideal which first brought men and women to America.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 12, 2024
Before expending the effort typifying one's love language, it is worth inquiring: is the concept is actually psychologically meaningful, or just another batch of pop psychology B.S.?
From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2021
But typifying the kind of day it was for the offense, Wilson at another point overthrew an open Metcalf, which isn’t all that easy to do.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 31, 2021
The jeans are described on Nordstrom's website as typifying "rugged, Americana workwear" and "hard-working action".
From BBC ● Apr. 25, 2017
On each side of the tomb are piers from which springs a granite arch of thirteen stones—presumably typifying the thirteen original States.
From The Scrap Book, Volume 1, No. 6 August 1906 by Various
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.
