characterize
verb
char·ac·ter·ize
ˈker-ik-tə-ˌrīz 
ˈka-rik-
characterized; characterizing
1
: to describe the character (see character entry 1 sense 1a) or quality of
characterizes him as ambitious
2
: to be a characteristic of : distinguish
an era characterized by greed
Examples of characterize in a Sentence
How would you characterize the situation?
I would characterize this as a positive change for our company.
She had difficulty characterizing their relationship.
His personality is hard to characterize.
Farms and large flat fields characterize most of the area.
the beliefs that characterized Europe in the 15th century
Recent Examples on the Web
If the post-Soviet years saw a wholesale redistribution of property away from the Russian state through rapid privatization, the Ukraine war years are characterized by the reverse.
—
Clare Sebastian, CNN Money, 11 July 2025
In addition to the sheer fun some women have with dousing their significant others with a garden hose, the trend has been characterized by countless disagreements in the comments section over what kind of treatment makes for a good relationship.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 11 July 2025
Massively popular in 2005, the company's original model—characterized by its point-counting system and group meetings—drew in millions of members around the world.
—Katherine Fung, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
This group is characterized by high beta (median 1.6), fast growth (median 53% Q1 EPS growth), and strong earnings surprises (median 20% Q1 EPS beat).
—Randy Watts, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for characterize
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Clare Sebastian, CNN Money, 11 July 2025
In addition to the sheer fun some women have with dousing their significant others with a garden hose, the trend has been characterized by countless disagreements in the comments section over what kind of treatment makes for a good relationship.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 11 July 2025
Massively popular in 2005, the company's original model—characterized by its point-counting system and group meetings—drew in millions of members around the world.
—Katherine Fung, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
This group is characterized by high beta (median 1.6), fast growth (median 53% Q1 EPS growth), and strong earnings surprises (median 20% Q1 EPS beat).
—Randy Watts, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for characterize
Cite this Entry
“Characterize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/characterize. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
characterize
verb
char·ac·ter·ize
ˈkar-ik-tə-ˌrīz
characterized; characterizing
1
: to point out the character of an individual or group : describe
characterize him as ambitious
2
: to be characteristic of
tragic endings characterized her stories
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