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
Flash floods are usually characterized by raging torrents after heavy rains.
—
Maia Pandey, jsonline.com, 19 Aug. 2025
While relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan have been characterized by extreme vitriol for over 30 years, Ibrahim expressed optimism that relations post-Washington could turn a new leaf.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 19 Aug. 2025
Measles, a highly contagious illness, is characterized by symptoms like rash, fever, fatigue, runny nose and red eyes.
—Antonio Pequeño Iv, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025
And despite that, President Trump deploying 800 National Guard troops to some of the city's most prominent locations, including the National Mall and Union Station for what Army officials characterize as a role of support.
—ABC News, 17 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for characterize
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Maia Pandey, jsonline.com, 19 Aug. 2025
While relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan have been characterized by extreme vitriol for over 30 years, Ibrahim expressed optimism that relations post-Washington could turn a new leaf.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 19 Aug. 2025
Measles, a highly contagious illness, is characterized by symptoms like rash, fever, fatigue, runny nose and red eyes.
—Antonio Pequeño Iv, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025
And despite that, President Trump deploying 800 National Guard troops to some of the city's most prominent locations, including the National Mall and Union Station for what Army officials characterize as a role of support.
—ABC News, 17 Aug. 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 23 Aug. 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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