categorize

verb

cat·​e·​go·​rize ˈka-ti-gə-ˌrīz How to pronounce categorize (audio)
categorized; categorizing
Synonyms of categorizenext

transitive verb

: to put into a category : classify
Birds are categorized by type in this field manual.
categorization noun
categorizable adjective

Examples of categorize in a Sentence

This software lets you categorize your photographs in many different ways. Their opinions can be categorized as conservative. Birds are categorized by type in this field guide.
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.
Countrywide, wine, beer, spirits and other newer forms of alcohol are categorized according to beverage type and are taxed often regardless of actual alcohol content or other states’ policies. Adam Hoffer, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026 The study also categorized unemployment claims by age and found that a significant portion of claims were from those aged 36 to 65, signaling that AI’s effect doesn’t only affect early-career jobs. Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026 An additional 45 people, who are tracked and categorized separately, contracted it while traveling abroad. Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 2 July 2026 To streamline the private-public partnership and ensure the most rapid response to the biggest risks, Anthropic said the AI industry’s goal should be categorizing risks to ensure proper interventions both internally and from the government. Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for categorize

Word History

Etymology

see category

First Known Use

1705, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of categorize was in 1705

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Categorize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/categorize. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

categorize

verb
cat·​e·​go·​rize ˈkat-i-gə-ˌrīz How to pronounce categorize (audio)
categorized; categorizing
: to put into a category : classify
categorization noun

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