Word
categorize
Phoneticscat·e·go·rize, stress on the first syllable
/ˈkætəɡɝˌaɪz/
UK spelling · categorise
Definition
v. to put things into groups based on what they have in common. You use this when you want to organize information or objects into specific types.
v. to classify or arrange into groups according to shared characteristics or attributes. Often used in academic or administrative contexts to describe the systematic sorting of data.
Examples
“The computer can categorize your emails automatically.”
“The librarian spent the afternoon categorizing the new books so they would be easy to find.”
“By categorizing the data into distinct demographic segments, the researchers were able to identify specific trends that had previously been obscured by the sheer volume of raw information.”
Examples
simple
“The computer can categorize your emails automatically.”
contextual
“The librarian spent the afternoon categorizing the new books so they would be easy to find.”
complex
“By categorizing the data into distinct demographic segments, the researchers were able to identify specific trends that had previously been obscured by the sheer volume of raw information.”
Real-World Examples
“Rather than categorizing people into fixed cultural groups, it seems more informative to measure each individual's degree of cultural experience and acculturation.” “The different types of texts allow us to categorize different political roles in her career.” Etymology
From category + -ize.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/categorize