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

In one of the Phase 3 trials, dubbed OASIS, patients with hereditary angioedema, a rare disease characterized by severe bouts of swelling, were given injections of donidalorsen either monthly or every two months. —Jonathan Wosen, STAT, 31 May 2024

Yet the verdict is a career-defining victory for Mr. Bragg, who had characterized the fakery as an affront to New York, the financial capital of the world. —William K. Rashbaum, New York Times, 30 May 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