as in trait
something that sets apart an individual from others of the same kind
the ability to fashion tools and other characteristics that distinguish human beings from other animals
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in distinctive
serving to identify as belonging to an individual or group
the characteristic taste of licorice
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in typical
having or showing the qualities associated with the members of a particular group or kind
the characteristic wit and good-naturedness of the Irish
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of characteristic
Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2025
The document doesn’t specify whether agents have been empowered to detain individuals based solely on these physical characteristics.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2025
Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 7 Apr. 2025
The quirky humor characteristic to details of the game such as night falling every 20 minutes and Steve’s collection of unisex turquoise blouses left behind in a storage unit with a vintage Atari also spawn laughs.
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for characteristic
Noun
Underlying metrics aren’t bullish on the shape or characteristics of Sasaki’s fastball.
—Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2025
The document doesn’t specify whether agents have been empowered to detain individuals based solely on these physical characteristics.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
The Colossal team thus engineered two other genes that shut down black and red pigmentation, leading to the dire wolf’s characteristic light color without causing any harm in the edited gray wolf genome.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 7 Apr. 2025
The quirky humor characteristic to details of the game such as night falling every 20 minutes and Steve’s collection of unisex turquoise blouses left behind in a storage unit with a vintage Atari also spawn laughs.
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for characteristic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for characteristic
Noun
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Scientists create these animals by engineering DNA that matches important traits of the extinct animal into a modern animal's DNA sequence.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2025
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In an era of constant change, global complexity and ever-rising expectations, trust has become the defining trait of exceptional leadership.—
Alejandro Bravo,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Follow her on LinkedIn Dr. Yasmine Saad, Founder and Director of Psychological Services Dr. Yasmine Saad is advancing psychological care with her distinctive Inner Message Approach®, which treats emotions as meaningful signals rather than problems to eliminate.—
Lauren Carpenter,
USA Today,
14 Apr. 2025
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Alongside his wife, Doris, Krause spent more than three decades sourcing rare and distinctive set dressing from around the world, curating a collection that remains integral to film and television productions today.—
Kimberly Nordyke,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Some might offer better support than others or have a more natural resting spot for thumbs, but to greater or lesser extents, a good mouse is sculpted to fit the arch of the typical human hand.—
Matt Kamen,
Wired News,
20 Apr. 2025
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In a typical spring, apply the herbicide in early to mid-April.—
Tim Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Going for a cut that accentuates your best facial features and hair texture can be a foolproof way to walk out of the hair salon feeling happy.—
Julie Ricevuto,
Glamour,
15 Apr. 2025
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This is a sprawling document of balance changes, quality-of-life tweaks, and major new features.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Join 22 others in the comments View Comments The airline also expects its own employment level in 2025 to be down from 2024 levels, though executives said that would be done through normal attrition caused by retirement and other voluntary departures, and not any layoff of staff.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2025
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For 2025, retail growth predictions of 3.6% or better are holding firm, and while NRF economists are expecting slower growth for the near term, the trade group is expecting for normal growth to return in time.—
Megan Poinski,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Counsell’s decision to hire Quintin Berry away from the Milwaukee Brewers may have taken those attributes to another level.—
Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2025
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An attribute that Buffett considers to be the hallmark of the highest achievers.—
Steve Taplin,
Forbes.com,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The New Yorker received the National Magazine Award for photography, winning for images illustrating three very distinct stories.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2025
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The title drop, when a line of dialogue references the film’s title, is a delicate art with a distinct cult following.—
Donald Liebenson,
IndieWire,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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But in many states, the Real ID rollout has been optional, with some choosing a standard license, which might require fewer documents or a lower fee.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
22 Apr. 2025
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In Birmingham, where Southern Living is based, not every Dollar General has the butter, but many have both two-stick packs and the standard four-stick packages in stock, as well as both unsalted and salted varieties.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
21 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Characteristic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/characteristic. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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