characterize

verb

char·​ac·​ter·​ize ˈker-ik-tə-ˌrīz 

ˈka-rik-

characterized; characterizing

transitive verb

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

Synonyms

• character
• define
• depict
• describe
• portray
• represent

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

During this latest flyby, the spacecraft passed close to Amalthea, Jupiter's fifth-largest moon, characterized by its potato-like shape and small size. —Jamie Carter, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024

China's East Asian neighbors are also grappling with similar problems, characterized by rapidly aging populations and younger generations increasingly hesitant to have families. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024

The goal is to achieve a juicy look, characterized by an imprecise and slightly smudged application, reminiscent of the resulting lip tint after taking a bite of fruit. —Beatrice Zocchi, Vogue, 5 Nov. 2024

Gout Gout is a type of arthritis characterized by sudden and severe pain, redness, and swelling in the joints. —Lauren Panoff, Mph, Rd, Verywell Health, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

see character entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1602, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids 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