characters 1 of 2

Definition of charactersnext
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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Relevance
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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
Film adaptations like the 1939 version often leave out this second generation of characters. Becky Little, Time, 13 Feb. 2026 Louie’s death would affect all the characters who had grown close to him. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026 The movie also ages up the characters, with Margot Robbie, 35, playing Cathy and Jacob Elordi, 28, as Heathcliff. Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026 Margarita Khemlin lets go of her characters on a concluding note that, to them, appears forward-looking and hopeful but which, to readers familiar with the history that the story’s protagonists are yet to experience, is haunted by tragedies to come. Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026 His family might never know all the details, but Bouzid gives the audience tangible knowledge of his passions and misgivings, accomplishing that by observing the five female characters in his orbit, and so the mystery of all their lives is fully revealed. Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026 The story, which blends history and imagination, unfolds through an ensemble of characters – living and dead, historical and invented – to explore themes of love, empathy, and the human capacity for connection in the face of unimaginable grief. Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2026 Our perspective of the characters changes dramatically throughout the film, particularly Tom Courtney, playing your character’s stepfather. Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026 Who would cast out the kind of characters that Tucker Carlson and company are encouraging? David Remnick, New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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
  • Plays cost from 50 cents to $30, with a goal of matching symbols on the wheel.
    Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Bull and bear symbols for successful and bad trading are seen in front of the German stock exchange (Deutsche Boerse) in Frankfurt, Germany, February 12, 2019.
    Hugh Leask,Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Greg Brown, the original guitarist and co-founding member of ’90s alt-rock eccentrics Cake, has died.
    Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 9 Feb. 2026
  • On his mother’s side, a line of troubled souls and eccentrics.
    Maya Singer, Vogue, 1 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Revelstoke is still arguably the epicenter of heli-skiing in North America, and there are a bunch of local operators with excellent reputations.
    Brent Rose, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Feb. 2026
  • Fyre Fraud explores the class-action lawsuits and tarnished reputations that followed, offering a commentary on the dominance of influencer culture and social media propaganda.
    Ilana Gordon, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • This perception of tatreez, or traditional Palestinian embroidery, as a type of visual language is widely shared, owing to its intimacy with the land and biographical characteristics.
    Zoe Whitfield, CNN Money, 14 Feb. 2026
  • In vacating the life prison term in 2024, Cook County Judge Marc Martin found in part that Modrowski had been unfairly portrayed as emotionless and cold during his 1995 trial and sentencing proceedings when the characteristics were likely due to his autism.
    Christy Gutowski, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The filing argues that custody is a nonwaivable jurisdictional requirement and that remote court proceedings would raise insurmountable problems, including the inability to verify identities, enforce perjury laws, or protect classified information.
    Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 9 Feb. 2026
  • The government has not provided an official list of how many prisoners will be released or revealed their identities.
    Reuters, NBC news, 9 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • And many of the media companies have great monetization but don’t really have any of the big personalities and audiences was a really interesting point.
    Ben Smith, semafor.com, 14 Feb. 2026
  • The New York Giants rookie running back has become one of the most electric personalities in all of sports — and off the field, his relationship with influencer girlfriend Chloe Rodriguez is giving fans even more content to follow.
    Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • What is a greater hit against a presidential administration that characterizes itself as the party of family values than marrying two people in love on stage?
    Taylor Crumpton, Time, 10 Feb. 2026
  • The author argues this economic leverage represents the only meaningful way to hold the country accountable for what the author characterizes as federal overreach.
    Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Viguera evaporates the alcohol from spirits to create mocktails that retain the complexity of their originals.
    Melinda Joe, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2026
  • Under global originals chief Eric Schrier and new EMEA content lead Angela Jain, Disney+’s European arm appears to have been given license to make some big swings, most recently striking a deal with Stephen Graham’s indie and promoting four executives, including Rivals commissioner Lee Mason.
    Max Goldbart, Deadline, 6 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Characters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/characters. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.

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