personify

verb

per·​son·​i·​fy pər-ˈsä-nə-ˌfī 

personified; personifying

transitive verb

1

: to conceive of or represent as a person or as having human qualities or powers

2

: to be the embodiment or personification of : incarnate

a teacher who personified patience

personifier

pər-ˈsä-nə-ˌfī(-ə)r 

noun

Synonyms

• body
• embody
• epitomize
• express
• externalize
• incarnate
• incorporate
• instantiate
• manifest
• materialize
• personalize
• substantiate

Examples of personify in a Sentence

The ancient Greeks personified the forces of nature as gods and goddesses.

Justice is personified as a woman with her eyes covered.

Recent Examples on the Web

The man who personified that push was Wanda Group’s bold billionaire chairman, Wang Jianlin, a former army officer who for a time became China’s richest man, overseeing a vast empire including massive shopping complexes, movie theaters and entertainment assets. —Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2024

This could possibly play a material role in the November election, that tensions over Gaza might lead to the return of Donald Trump, a man who personifies global disorder, to the presidency of what remains the world’s most powerful country. —Zack Beauchamp, Vox, 4 Oct. 2024

Then my theater brain needed to personify it, to be like, ‘Hey, girl, talk to me. —Michael Love Michael, Them, 19 Sep. 2024

But also there’s something about Tom that feels the spirit of Gaia personified. —James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1728, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

personify

verb

per·​son·​i·​fy pər-ˈsän-ə-ˌfī 

personified; personifying

1

: to think of or represent as a person

personify the forces of nature

2

: to be the perfect example of

she personified kindness