1
as in to describe
to point out the chief quality or qualities of an individual or group
how would you characterize the mission of this environmental organization?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to distinguish
to be an important feature of
an unsightly rash characterizes chicken pox
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of characterize
Pro-Trump politicians/influencers wrongly characterized a trip Zelenskyy made to a munitions plant in Scranton, PA, in Sept. as a campaign stunt for Democrats and have been running with it since.
—
Andrew Stanton, Newsweek, 28 Feb. 2025
The spring runways were characterized less by a singular motif or trend than by sheer abundance—a joyous cacophony of shapes, textures, attitudes, and points of view.
—Mikael Jansson, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2025
Amazingly, not one species included in the dataset showed an exclusively crepuscular pattern of dawn and dusk activity, as defined in the study, despite many animals being characterized as such in prior research.
—Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 26 Feb. 2025
Last week, the US officially designated six Mexican drug cartels as terrorist groups, an act that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum characterized as potentially endangering Mexican sovereignty.
—Belen Zapata, CNN, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for characterize
Andrew Stanton, Newsweek, 28 Feb. 2025
The spring runways were characterized less by a singular motif or trend than by sheer abundance—a joyous cacophony of shapes, textures, attitudes, and points of view.
—Mikael Jansson, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2025
Amazingly, not one species included in the dataset showed an exclusively crepuscular pattern of dawn and dusk activity, as defined in the study, despite many animals being characterized as such in prior research.
—Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 26 Feb. 2025
Last week, the US officially designated six Mexican drug cartels as terrorist groups, an act that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum characterized as potentially endangering Mexican sovereignty.
—Belen Zapata, CNN, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for characterize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for characterize
Verb
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Assistant Police Chief Cisco Rodriquez described the victim as an adult male but could provide no further information, pending notification of the family and the results of the ongoing investigation.—
Post-Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Mar. 2025
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The scent of its white spring flowers is sometimes described as mothball-like, which deters deer.—
Rita Pelczar,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The war in Gaza has resulted in more than 48,000 Palestinian deaths, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
Newsweek,
26 Feb. 2025
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The Tesla and SpaceX CEO, distinguished as the richest person in the world, has been especially controversial since Trump's inauguration.—
Rachel Raposas,
People.com,
26 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Both portrayed struggles within families and among different generations.—
Amitava Kumar,
The New Yorker,
8 Mar. 2025
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Shifting the Household Financial Paradigm Historically, popular culture often portrayed men as the family financiers while women managed daily household tasks.—
Dave Birnbaum,
Forbes,
8 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) defines atmospheric rivers as long, narrow corridors in the atmosphere that carry large amounts of water vapor.—
William Lambers,
Newsweek,
9 Mar. 2025
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Silversands Grand Anse Modern design and luxe amenities define Silversands Grand Anse, an intimate, upscale collection of 43 rooms and eight villas, complete with a spacious spa and spectacular dining.—
Carley Rojas Avila,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Characterize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/characterize. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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