classify
verb
clas·si·fy
ˈkla-sə-ˌfī 
classified; classifying
1
: to arrange in classes (see class entry 1 sense 3)
classifying books according to subject matter
2
: to consider (someone or something) as belonging to a particular group
The movie is classified as a comedy.
The vehicle is classified as a truck.
Examples of classify in a Sentence
Students will be learning about the ways scientists classify animals.
The online system can classify books by subject.
Recent Examples on the Web
According to the Department of Homeland Security's September 2025 funding lapse plan, most employees will be classified as exempt, requiring them to work through the shutdown.
—
Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 14 Feb. 2026
The medical examiner classified the death as an accident.
—Clark Kauffman, Iowa Capital Dispatch, 14 Feb. 2026
The case is the first time the Justice Department has attempted to classify critical speech from prominent Trump detractors as a crime.
—Jeremy Roebuck, Washington Post, 13 Feb. 2026
Commercial prediction markets have resisted efforts by states to classify and regulate them as gambling companies, insisting that they — like their precursor in Iowa — should be overseen by federal regulators.
—Suzy Khimm, NBC news, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for classify
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Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 14 Feb. 2026
The medical examiner classified the death as an accident.
—Clark Kauffman, Iowa Capital Dispatch, 14 Feb. 2026
The case is the first time the Justice Department has attempted to classify critical speech from prominent Trump detractors as a crime.
—Jeremy Roebuck, Washington Post, 13 Feb. 2026
Commercial prediction markets have resisted efforts by states to classify and regulate them as gambling companies, insisting that they — like their precursor in Iowa — should be overseen by federal regulators.
—Suzy Khimm, NBC news, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for classify
Cite this Entry
“Classify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/classify. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
classify
verb
clas·si·fy
ˈklas-ə-ˌfī
classified; classifying
: to arrange in or assign to classes
classify books by subjects
classifier
noun
-ˌfī(-ə)r
Medical Definition
classify
transitive verb
clas·si·fy
ˈklas-ə-ˌfī
classified; classifying
: to arrange in classes that have systematic relations usually founded on common properties
how would you classify these animals
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