classify

verb

clas·​si·​fy ˈkla-sə-ˌfī How to pronounce classify (audio)
classified; classifying

transitive verb

1
: to arrange in classes (see class entry 1 sense 3)
classifying books according to subject matter
2
: to consider (someone or something) as belonging to a particular group
The movie is classified as a comedy.
The vehicle is classified as a truck.
classifiable adjective

Examples of classify in a Sentence

Students will be learning about the ways scientists classify animals. The online system can classify books by subject.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This component classifies requests and forwards to the WAF just the ones needing inspection, such as dynamic content requests, and offloads the WAF by caching responses. Alexander Krizhanovsky, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025 The shooting now classified as a-homicide was the third killing reported during a violent weekend in Kansas City, as temperatures soared above 90 degrees across the region. Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 22 June 2025 The exact details are classified, but the alliance will need to increase the number of its air and missile defense systems fivefold. Mark Rutte, Foreign Affairs, 20 June 2025 Wise said the state does not order quarantines in areas infested with the beetles because the species is not classified as a direct threat to crops or the agricultural economy. Cameron MacDonald, Mercury News, 20 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for classify

Word History

Etymology

probably in part a back-formation from classification, in part from class entry 1 + -ify

First Known Use

1776, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of classify was in 1776

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Classify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/classify. Accessed 28 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

classify

verb
clas·​si·​fy ˈklas-ə-ˌfī How to pronounce classify (audio)
classified; classifying
: to arrange in or assign to classes
classify books by subjects
classifiable adjective
classifier
-ˌfī(-ə)r
noun

Medical Definition

classify

transitive verb
clas·​si·​fy ˈklas-ə-ˌfī How to pronounce classify (audio)
classified; classifying
: to arrange in classes that have systematic relations usually founded on common properties
how would you classify these animals

More from Merriam-Webster on classify

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!