characters 1 of 2

plural of character
1
as in symbols
a written or printed mark that is meant to convey information to the reader the pictorial characters of the ancient Egyptians had long been a mystery

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2
3
4
5
as in identities
the set of qualities that make a person different from other people she regards each of her children as having a distinctive character that should be valued for what it is

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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characters

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of character
as in characterizes
to point out the chief quality or qualities of an individual or group formerly charactered as "the dark ages," that period of history may not have been quite so benighted as once thought

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of characters
Noun
There was a small card with a graphic that pictured Wiley walking in the middle of Bluey and Bingo, two characters from the show. Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 2 July 2026 Yes, literature takes us into characters’ minds, but film brings together photography and music in a way that books cannot. Michael O’Donnell, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026 Piercing the sterility of contemporary life with the disruptive transgression of eroticism, Silver’s film features dreamy fantasy sequences that interrupt and disrupt, drawing us expertly into its characters’ sensual and unusual interiority. Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 2 July 2026 Adding to the authenticity, grittiness and realness of The Guest is the fact that some of the past between the characters gets hinted at but not always spelled out. Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 2 July 2026 As for one of the franchise's other biggest mysteries — how the characters reproduce — Coffin has a simple answer. Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026 That leaves you about an hour to grab a bite to eat, snap some selfies with Disney characters and hop on a few more rides. Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 2 July 2026 Created by some of anime’s greatest storytellers, these films have inspired fans for years with unforgettable characters and extraordinary worlds. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 2 July 2026 In addition to their own characters, BTS wanted to create a character that represented their fanbase - ARMY. Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Verb
Jon Favreau tells Entertainment Weekly why Star Wars characters Ahsoka Tano and Thrawn don't make an appearance in The Mandalorian and Grogu. Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 22 May 2026 What would Six Flags look like without its most valuable properties like Looney Tunes and, especially, its DC Comics characters Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman? Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025 KPop Demon Hunters characters Derpy Tiger and Sussie were also featured. Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 28 Nov. 2025 Netflix characters Derpy Tiger and Sussie from KPop Demon Hunters will also join the lineup. Daniel Orton, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for characters
Noun
  • Such is the daily treatment of Rwanda ’s royal cows that have become living symbols of the nation’s cultural heritage.
    ABC News, ABC News, 27 June 2026
  • The governing body refused to restrict Pride displays, giving fans the green light to bring rainbow flags and symbols into the stadium.
    Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 27 June 2026
Noun
  • Dippold has populated the show with lovable eccentrics played by great character actors—Dale Dickey, Jeff Hiller, Tim Baltz.
    Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 18 June 2026
  • Inbred eccentrics and bumbling detectives have populated the seaside villages of Bruno Dumont’s absurdist comedies.
    Jessica Kiang, Variety, 16 June 2026
Noun
  • Not only does the media cycle move fast, but reputations can shift just as quickly.
    Heather Kelly, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
  • Those communities can move faster than formal hiring channels and build more trust because reputations form around concrete contributions rather than résumés and cover letters.
    Sydney Lake, Fortune, 23 June 2026
Noun
  • Due to her limited knowledge of the lore, there were characteristics that guided her transformation.
    Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 3 July 2026
  • Three months later, the Supreme Court voted to allow immigration agents to stop people based on racial or ethnic characteristics while still-ongoing litigation against it proceeded.
    Ken B. Morales, ProPublica, 1 July 2026
Noun
  • They are built from many identities, experiences, and relationships.
    Martin Shenkman, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • The identities of the suspects have not yet been released.
    Richard Ramos, CBS News, 29 June 2026
Noun
  • Many Iranian hardliners, including conservative lawmakers and media personalities, have criticized the memorandum of understanding signed between Tehran and Washington.
    July 1, CBS News, 1 July 2026
  • Armand tries on personalities — clingy boyfriend, conniving mastermind — and flocks to love interests like new rock star Lestat goes through vats of body glitter.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 July 2026
Noun
  • Death caused by intentional self-harm claimed 48,824 lives in 2024.
    Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
  • Wednesday marked one year since an explosion at a Northern California fireworks facility killed seven workers and changed the lives of their families forever.
    Madisen Keavy, CBS News, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • Resilience characterizes many young basketball players at SCC Dixon said.
    Nicole Gregory, Oc Register, 25 June 2026
  • Under that view, a taxpayer who actively participates in management should not receive the benefit simply because state law characterizes the interest as a limited partnership interest.
    Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Characters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/characters. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

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