characterization
noun
char·ac·ter·i·za·tion
ˌker-ik-t(ə-)rə-ˈzā-shən 
ˌka-rik-
: the act of characterizing
especially
: the artistic representation (as in fiction or drama) of human character or motives
the author's characterization of the boy as someone who wanted to be accepted by others
Examples of characterization in a Sentence
The reporter was criticized for his characterization of the people of the town as poor and uneducated.
News reporting requires accurate characterization.
The class discussed the author's characterization of the boy as someone who wanted to be accepted by others.
The story has good characterization.
Recent Examples on the Web
What consists of her characterizations swings wildly between whatever scenario she’s placed in.
—
Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 24 Apr. 2024
Everyone in the room was mortified by his frightening characterizations, his bizarre, inappropriate laugh, and the description of himself as the victim in every story of him battering and humiliating her.
—Judith Regan, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Apr. 2024
On LinkedIn and on X, the site formerly known as Twitter, longtime sellers seemed astounded by some of Jassy’s comments, including his characterization of the company’s relationship with the small businesses selling through its site.
—Jason Del Rey, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2024
Through costuming and characterization, Boomerang paints Berry as an artist who is not as in tune with her sartorial decisions.
—Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 25 Mar. 2024
Biden administration officials have fiercely disputed those characterizations, saying that while early parts of the evacuation were difficult, the U.S. government eventually stabilized security well enough to airlift 124,000 people from harm’s way.
—Leigh Ann Caldwell, Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2024
This is a flatly inaccurate characterization of the law.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements.
—Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2024
The special counsel’s report was something of a gift to outlets like Fox News, which used the special counsel’s characterization to validate its years of ugly attacks on Biden.
—Oliver Darcy, CNN, 13 Mar. 2024
Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 24 Apr. 2024
Everyone in the room was mortified by his frightening characterizations, his bizarre, inappropriate laugh, and the description of himself as the victim in every story of him battering and humiliating her.
—Judith Regan, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Apr. 2024
On LinkedIn and on X, the site formerly known as Twitter, longtime sellers seemed astounded by some of Jassy’s comments, including his characterization of the company’s relationship with the small businesses selling through its site.
—Jason Del Rey, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2024
Through costuming and characterization, Boomerang paints Berry as an artist who is not as in tune with her sartorial decisions.
—Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 25 Mar. 2024
Biden administration officials have fiercely disputed those characterizations, saying that while early parts of the evacuation were difficult, the U.S. government eventually stabilized security well enough to airlift 124,000 people from harm’s way.
—Leigh Ann Caldwell, Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2024
This is a flatly inaccurate characterization of the law.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements.
—Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2024
The special counsel’s report was something of a gift to outlets like Fox News, which used the special counsel’s characterization to validate its years of ugly attacks on Biden.
—Oliver Darcy, CNN, 13 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'characterization.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near characterization
Cite this Entry
“Characterization.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/characterization. Accessed 28 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
characterization
noun
char·ac·ter·i·za·tion
ˌkar-ik-tə-rə-ˈzā-shən
1
: the act of characterizing
2
: the creation of characters (as in a book or play)
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