profiling

noun

pro·​fil·​ing ˈprō-ˌfī-liŋ How to pronounce profiling (audio)
Synonyms of profilingnext
: the act or process of extrapolating information about a person based on known traits or tendencies
consumer profiling
specifically : the act of suspecting or targeting a person on the basis of observed characteristics or behavior
racial profiling

Examples of profiling in a Sentence

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.
The American Civil Liberties Union and Public Counsel, along with other groups and private attorneys, included the body cam footage in a court filing asking a federal judge to bar immigration agents from making stops based on racial profiling. — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2026 The frontier of that field, continuous profiling, is the concession that a single snapshot is never enough. — Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 That advisory lists risks of invasive social media screening, searches of electronic devices, racial profiling, arrest, detention, deportation and even death. — Anne Toomey McKenna, The Conversation, 30 June 2026 Democrats, immigration advocates and local officials decried ICE tactics, including allegations of racial profiling and aggressive tactics. — Isabella Murray, ABC News, 27 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for profiling

Word History

First Known Use

1980, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of profiling was in 1980

Rhymes for profiling

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Browse Nearby Words

profiler
profiling
profiling machine
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Cite this Entry

“Profiling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/profiling. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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Legal Definition

profiling

noun
pro·​fil·​ing
: the practice of singling out persons for law enforcement procedures on the basis of predetermined characteristics
specifically : the discriminatory practice of profiling based on race or ethnicity
racial profiling

More from Merriam-Webster on profiling

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for profiling

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about profiling

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