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

These is characterized by open-format DJs playing a mix if hip-hop, pop and EDM tracks. —Rob Reed, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024

The company’s current set of businesses is characterized by a high level of recurring revenue, primarily through a direct sales model, and to a geographically diverse customer base. —Michael K. Farr, CNBC, 31 Dec. 2024

The culture was characterized by sophisticated urban developments, as well as a complex social hierarchy dominated by political and religious elites. —George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 30 Dec. 2024

The mid-1970s, when Carter became a national public figure, was a time of transition, full of the aftershocks of the progress and devastation that had characterized the previous decade, not least in the arena of the civil rights movement. —Lily Rothman, TIME, 29 Dec. 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