categorize

verb

cat·​e·​go·​rize ˈka-ti-gə-ˌrīz 

categorized; categorizing

transitive verb

: to put into a category : classify

Birds are categorized by type in this field manual.

categorization

ˌka-ti-gə-rə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

categorizable

ˌka-ti-gə-ˈrī-zə-bəl 

adjective

Synonyms

• classify
• rank
• distinguish
• relegate

Examples of categorize in a Sentence

This software lets you categorize your photographs in many different ways.

Their opinions can be categorized as conservative.

Birds are categorized by type in this field guide.

Recent Examples on the Web

Trump has also frequented his own resort properties, notably Mar-a-Lago and Bedminster, for personal retreats or closed-press political dinners, but these have generally not been categorized as public events. —MSNBC Newsweek, 13 July 2025

Regulators now categorize the south Biscayne Bay coast as having a one-in-four chance of flooding from a storm surge within 30 years. —Denise Hruby updated July 13, Miami Herald, 13 July 2025

Three of Russia's eight orbital launches this year have carried payloads that could be categorized as potential anti-satellite weapons, or at least prototypes testing novel technologies that could lead to one. —Robert Pearlman, ArsTechnica, 11 July 2025

This can be used to build email databases and broadly categorize emails according to keywords. —Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

see category

First Known Use

1705, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for categorize

• actualize
• antagonize
• apologise
• apologize
• capitalize
• characterize
• commercialize
• conceptualize
• contrariwise
• criminalize
• decentralize
• democratize

Kids Definition

categorize

verb

cat·​e·​go·​rize ˈkat-i-gə-ˌrīz 

categorized; categorizing

: to put into a category : classify

categorization

ˌkat-i-gə-rə-ˈzā-shən 

noun