personify

verb

per·​son·​i·​fy pər-ˈsä-nə-ˌfī How to pronounce personify (audio)
personified; personifying
Synonyms of personifynext

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 How to pronounce personify (audio)
noun

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 

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
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.
Two starkly different House candidates, in separate races, personify the intensifying ideological partitioning occurring within the once strongly Democratic constituency of Latino voters, whose numbers are growing. —Suzanne Gamboa, NBC News, 1 Nov. 2024 Defiant heights aside, Princess Sofia of Sweden is elegance personified. —Arancha Gamo, Glamour, 23 Oct. 2024 Its supermodel spokeswomen, known as the Angels, personified a new beauty standard. —Abc News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2024 This new reality has accelerated the need for companies to build global teams that personify collaboration, innovation and cultural exchange. —Sagi Eliyahu, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for personify 

Word History

First Known Use

1728, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of personify was in 1728

Dictionary Entries Near personify

personificator

personify

personize

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Personify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/personify. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

personify

verb
per·​son·​i·​fy pər-ˈsän-ə-ˌfī How to pronounce personify (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on personify

Nglish: Translation of personify for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of personify for Arabic Speakers

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