category
noun
cat·e·go·ry
ˈka-tə-ˌgȯr-ē 
plural categories
1
: any of several fundamental and distinct classes to which entities or concepts belong
Taxpayers fall into one of several categories.
2
: a division within a system of classification
She competed for the award in her age category.
Examples of category in a Sentence
The cars belong to the same category.
Taxpayers fall into one of several categories.
She competed for the award in her age category.
Recent Examples on the Web
Both films are frontrunners in their respective Oscar categories.
—
Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 16 Feb. 2026
In the acting categories, the organization has gone gender-neutral since 2022.
—Paul Chi, Vogue, 16 Feb. 2026
Plastic grocery bags fall into the plastic film category and are often made from more than one type of plastic, usually including low-quality materials.
—Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 16 Feb. 2026
But as trends like fragrance wardrobing and the popularity of #PerfumeTok — a content niche on TikTok dedicated solely to talking about perfume — have emerged, the fragrance category has been propelled to more than 20 consecutive quarters of growth.
—Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for category
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Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 16 Feb. 2026
In the acting categories, the organization has gone gender-neutral since 2022.
—Paul Chi, Vogue, 16 Feb. 2026
Plastic grocery bags fall into the plastic film category and are often made from more than one type of plastic, usually including low-quality materials.
—Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 16 Feb. 2026
But as trends like fragrance wardrobing and the popularity of #PerfumeTok — a content niche on TikTok dedicated solely to talking about perfume — have emerged, the fragrance category has been propelled to more than 20 consecutive quarters of growth.
—Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for category
Cite this Entry
“Category.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/category. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
category
noun
cat·e·go·ry
ˈkat-ə-ˌgōr-ē
-ˌgȯr-
plural categories
1
: one of the divisions or groupings used in a system of classification
"species" and "genus" are biological categories
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