characterize

especially British, char·ac·ter·ise

[kar-ik-tuh-rahyz]

verb (used with object)

characterized, characterizing 

1. to mark or distinguish as a characteristic; be a characteristic of.

   Rich metaphors characterize his poetry.

2. to describe the character or individual quality of.

   He characterized her in a few well-chosen words.

3. to attribute character to.

   to characterize him as a coward.

characterize

/ ˈkærɪktəˌraɪz /

verb

1. to be a characteristic of

   loneliness characterized the place

2. to distinguish or mark as a characteristic

3. to describe or portray the character of

Other Word Forms

• characterizable adjective
• characterizer noun
• mischaracterize verb (used with object)
• recharacterize verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of characterize¹

First recorded in 1585–95; from Medieval Latin charactērizāre, from Greek charaktērízein; character, -ize

Example Sentences

The habeas corpus complaint repeatedly characterized a teenage Fiorella as a shy, quiet child who was teased by peers for being “slow.”

From Los Angeles Times

“Tell the brother he can stay, but he’s working for us,” Boy Kavalier tells a lackey, characterizing that instruction as “just a reminder that it’s my world. He just lives in it.”

From Salon

This process is characterized as a deliberate attempt to install loyalists who couldn’t survive the constitutional confirmation process, thereby undermining democratic checks and balances.

From Los Angeles Times

The media’s breathless coverage of potential “deals” mirrors the same empty diplomatic theater that has characterized Russian negotiations for decades, where verbal promises mean nothing and compromise is viewed as a zero-sum game.

From Los Angeles Times

The Gaza Health Ministry condemned the attacks, characterizing them as “a continuation of the systematic destruction of the health system and the continuation of genocide.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• define 
• describe 
• identify 
• indicate 
• mark 
• outline 
• portray 
• represent 
• symbolize