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
The Down-to-Earth Pope In a historic moment characterized by autocrats and would-be autocrats, Francis was the antithesis of a strongman.
—
Bluesky Social, 21 Apr. 2025
In today's business environment, characterized by rapid technological evolution, application modernization has become an essential strategic step to ensure the competitiveness and efficiency of organizations.
—Manuel Sanchez, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Military officials characterize the change in law as a win-win for the government and commercial launch providers.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 18 Apr. 2025
Dramatic shifts in mood from extreme highs (mania/hypomania) to lows (depression) characterize bipolar disorder.
—Mark Gurarie, Verywell Health, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for characterize
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Bluesky Social, 21 Apr. 2025
In today's business environment, characterized by rapid technological evolution, application modernization has become an essential strategic step to ensure the competitiveness and efficiency of organizations.
—Manuel Sanchez, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Military officials characterize the change in law as a win-win for the government and commercial launch providers.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 18 Apr. 2025
Dramatic shifts in mood from extreme highs (mania/hypomania) to lows (depression) characterize bipolar disorder.
—Mark Gurarie, Verywell Health, 18 Apr. 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 24 Apr. 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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