1
as in to describe
to point out the chief quality or qualities of an individual or group how would you characterize the mission of this environmental organization?

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in to distinguish
to be an important feature of an unsightly rash characterizes chicken pox

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of characterize Lively's legal team has characterized their client as a victim in multiple statements. Jack Smart, People.com, 13 Mar. 2025 Agile teams, characterized by diverse roles including developers, testers, and scrum masters, embody this shift toward a more inclusive and dynamic approach to product development. Forrester, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025 Despite numerous drugs that were taken into clinical trials for a wide range of conditions characterized by muscle loss and weakness, the results of those trials were initially disappointing in terms of improving clinical outcome, according to UConn. Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 13 Mar. 2025 The weather phenomenon is characterized by cooler-than-average sea surface temperatures in parts of the Pacific, which usually means drier conditions in Southern California and wetter conditions in Northern California. Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado, Sacramento Bee, 13 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for characterize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for characterize
Verb
  • The report describes increases in applications, not students, so can be skewed by students applying to a greater number of colleges.
    Scott White, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Asked to describe his game, Odeyingbo didn’t hesitate, needing just one word: relentless.
    Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 14 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Most of those listed have distinguished themselves as prominent Trump critics.
    Brady Knox, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 22 Mar. 2025
  • The motion detection is smart, too, distinguishing between people, pets, and vehicles, which cuts down on false alerts.
    Shubham Yewale, PCMAG, 21 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Good American Family, released on March 19, stars Ellen Pompeo and Mark Duplass as Kristine and Michael Barnett, while 27-year-old Imogen Faith Reid portrays Natalia.
    Monica Mercuri, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Avari also noted that one of the 13 vignettes portrays a standing farmer—the only male figure in the in the piece.
    Karen K. Ho, ARTnews.com, 19 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Sample said constitutional scholars have differed on what exactly defines a constitutional crisis.
    Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 21 Mar. 2025
  • And Christian Nationalism – the belief that the United States is defined by Christianity – has grown.
    Fred L. Pincus, The Conversation, 21 Mar. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Characterize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/characterize. Accessed 27 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on characterize

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!