Thesaurus results for CHARACTERIZE

characterize

verb

ˈker-ik-tə-ˌrīz

Definition of characterize

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

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 He was drawn especially to the type known as the Virgin Eleousa, the Virgin of Tenderness, characterized iconographically by the touching of cheeks between mother and child. — Carmen Rosenberg-Miller, Artforum, 6 Aug. 2026 While Murdoch characterized Fox’s relationship with the NFL as collegial, the media company of late has taken pains to amplify political scrutiny of the league’s legacy broadcast antitrust exemption. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 6 Aug. 2026 Management, however, characterized the slowdown as a timing issue rather than a loss of business. — Sasirekha Subramanian, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026 By driving Etna’s drifting itinerary with the quest to return home, Yoon invokes the pastoral nostalgia that has characterized the canine tradition’s man-dog battles against the brutal wilderness. — Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for characterize

Recent Examples of Synonyms for characterize

Verb

Witness accounts describe chaotic scene In the video, as many as five officers can be seen, and shrieks, screams, and cries are heard.

— Marvin Hurst, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026
One student has described the moment a fellow pupil ran into their classroom and informed them that a teacher had been shot, during Friday’s deadly shooting.

— Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of describe

Verb

Salman Al-Ansari, a Saudi geopolitical analyst, rejected the suggestion that Riyadh is unwilling to confront Iran, saying the Kingdom distinguishes between credible deterrence and military action without clear objectives.

— Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2026
The researchers distinguished developmental feedback from performance feedback.

— Paula Ferrada, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of distinguish

Verb

Hundreds of pages of grand jury transcripts portray Tupac Shakur's shooting as a culmination of a longstanding feud between rival record labels Death Row Records and Bad Boy Records and rival gang sects Mob Piru and South Side Compton Crips.

— CBS News, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026
Juno Temple portrays supermodel and eventual public relations expert Keeley Jones.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of portray

Verb

Write down the facts, define the next step, and keep the agreement practical.

— Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 8 Aug. 2026
The trigger is a loss-of-control scenario, which the bill defines as a system taking actions its developer did not intend, at a scale that risks catastrophic harm.

— Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026