Definition of characternext
1
2
as in symbol
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
4
5
6
as in identity
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

7
8

character

2 of 2

verb

as in to characterize
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word character different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of character are attribute, property, and quality. While all these words mean "an intelligible feature by which a thing may be identified," character applies to a peculiar and distinctive quality of a thing or a class.

remarks of an unseemly character

When might attribute be a better fit than character?

The words attribute and character can be used in similar contexts, but attribute implies a quality ascribed to a thing or a being.

the attributes of a military hero

When can property be used instead of character?

The synonyms property and character are sometimes interchangeable, but property implies a characteristic that belongs to a thing's essential nature and may be used to describe a type or species.

the property of not conducting heat

In what contexts can quality take the place of character?

The meanings of quality and character largely overlap; however, quality is a general term applicable to any trait or characteristic whether individual or generic.

material with a silky quality

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 character
Noun
Casting follows from how each character will be framed in that space, and light comes after that. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026 Not only are those objectively terrible ideas, but chains of title put guardrails on what studios can do with many iconic characters. — Brent Lang, IndieWire, 7 Oct. 2026 Comedy is an engine for turning fear into joy, and few characters in the popular imagination are as synonymous with fear as Darth Vader. — John Roy, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2026 But every character here feels original and individual, even a pair of seeming villains introduced halfway through. — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for character
Recent Examples of Synonyms for character
Noun
  • The Zeiss Dry Eye Relief Warm Eye Mask is single-use and self-heating, providing gentle warmth for at least 15 minutes without a microwave.
    — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Ahmed was at once stranded in France and thriving in a world where nobody questioned his self-mythology.
    — Ben Taub, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • No symbol is wasted, and no connection feels too tenuous to pursue.
    — Stephanie Wambugu, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026
  • What remained were totems and symbols that were somehow infused with nobility.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Law & Courts A failed execution in Tennessee and plans to livestream a firing squad are recharging America’s death penalty debate, raising questions about morality and justice.
    — Patrik Jonsson, Christian Science Monitor, 10 Oct. 2026
  • The novel explores free will, fate, and morality, and was famously adapted into a classic film by Stanley Kubrick in 1971.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Mercury in your 5th House quincunxes Saturn in your 10th, bringing play, romance, or self-expression up against responsibilities, reputation, or outside expectations.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Despite its tranquil reputation, knitting is anything but boring.
    — Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 8 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The result suggests that the crystal framework has the structural characteristics needed for fast lithium-ion transport.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Knowing someone's baseline characteristics is not the same as knowing what that person thinks about this decision today.
    — Leslie John, CNBC, 6 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Quiet luxury, by invitation Fortune previously reported affluent Gen Z and millennials were prioritizing experiences, wellness, and identity over traditional luxury possessions.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Much of Bread & Butter was made with reverence for the path Droog’s taken, from his early days of mistaken identity to rhyming with Madlib on The Tonight Show.
    — Dylan Green, Pitchfork, 8 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Being able to have the in-person connectivity with talking to your coworkers, being able to collaborate, is great and then also the larger programming of the company as a whole.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • One person was killed in a strike on Riyadh airport, a Saudia Airlines plane was reportedly in flames, and hundreds of flights have been canceled.
    — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The public reckonings with these figures’ legacies—the troubled former child star gone too soon, the beloved icon, the cult favorite, the complicated eccentric—have come in a cascade.
    — Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Make sure to practice a full range of motion with these and emphasize the eccentric (the way down) part of the movement for maximal time under tension and muscle-building stimulus.
    — Jakob Roze, HEALTH, 19 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Character.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/character. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on character

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!