How to Use characteristic in a Sentence

characteristic

1 of 2 noun
  • So yes, this is a very unique characteristic of choux.
    — Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Oct. 2025
  • And all these places have their unique quirks and characteristics.
    — Shivani Vora, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2023
  • None had more than two of the top seven characteristics on the list.
    — Julie Giuffrida, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2023
  • Think of all of the characteristics that appeal to you and write them down.
    — Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 16 Sep. 2025
  • That would be an unfair characteristic of how hard our kids played.
    — Greg Luca, ExpressNews.com, 23 Oct. 2020
  • Stockdale was asked, what was the characteristic of the ones who did not make it out of the prison camp?
    — Neil Senturia, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Sep. 2020
  • Are there any characteristics of Eleanor that have stuck with you?
    — Arushi Jacob, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026
  • The weight and flying characteristics — long and able to be curved, short and straight — vary by disc.
    — Phil Arvia, Daily Southtown, 27 Apr. 2017
  • The best open kitchen designs share a few key characteristics.
    — Alyssa Longobucco, House Beautiful, 1 June 2023
  • Each house will be defined by a sign with certain characteristics that will map out your life.
    — Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Each has its own characteristics that will transfer flavor to the food.
    — Nancy Stohs, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 29 May 2018
  • The size and characteristics of the stream also are a factor.
    — Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 17 Nov. 2019
  • All these characteristics add up to wines that are drinking well now but will only improve with age.
    — Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 31 Mar. 2024
  • And every one of those characteristics applied to those who are serving us in the armed forces.
    — Tod Leonard, sandiegouniontribune.com, 28 June 2017
  • One characteristic of a good idea, just like a good joke, is that nobody can remember who came up with it.
    — Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 13 Nov. 2020
  • Tell-tale characteristics of a dry cough include a tickle in the throat and hacking sounds.
    — Nicole Harris, Parents, 24 Aug. 2023
  • There is no beaker to pour in the exact amount of characteristics to create strong chemistry.
    — Troy Renck, Denver Post, 19 Mar. 2026
  • Nobody knows for sure, and their characteristics could be varied enough that all three may apply.
    — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 4 June 2026
  • What are some of the characteristics that are shared by cities who are becoming stronger problem-solvers in this new age?
    — Sandra Shea, Philly.com, 19 Jan. 2018
  • The result is that black rum shares taste characteristics with your favorite whiskeys, but with a touch more sweetness.
    — Nikita Richardson, Bon Appetit, 15 Feb. 2017
  • Instead, scientists look to characteristics of a plant to give it a name.
    — Stacey Leasca, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2020
  • Knowing the characteristics of the different types can make or break a project.
    — Nancy Keates, WSJ, 8 Mar. 2018
  • One of the defining characteristics of French curl braids is the way they're finished.
    — Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 2 June 2026
  • This characteristic gives the shade a distinct milder hue versus an intense black.
    — Joanna Saltz, House Beautiful, 9 May 2023
  • If a food has developed such spoilage characteristics, it should not be eaten.
    — Stacey Leasca, Southern Living, 26 Feb. 2026
  • Norvell saw characteristics in the right go-getters early on.
    — Chris Vannini, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Which of these characteristics should determine what shoe to buy?
    — Outside, 30 Dec. 2025
  • Hankey will show some birds of prey and discuss their characteristics and adaptions.
    — Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 May 2026
  • Hankey will show some birds of prey and discuss their characteristics and adaptions.
    — Ut Community Press, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2026
  • Tara Greene, who helped the brand describe the defining characteristics of the star signs.
    — Shannon Barbour, The Cut, 18 Apr. 2018

characteristic

2 of 2 adjective
  • He responded to their comments with characteristic good humor.
  • This is characteristic of flakes formed up high in warmer air.
    — Michael Hill, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 Mar. 2018
  • The characteristic rash may appear at the site of the bite.
    — Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 25 Apr. 2026
  • That’s the kind of characteristic that is played out throughout the film.
    — Maelle Beauget-Uhl, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
  • Note the paleness of the bird instead of the characteristic deep pink the species is known for.
    — Taylor Piephoff, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024
  • Wolff, with his characteristic go-for-broke swagger, took a shot.
    — Gilbert Garcia, ExpressNews.com, 19 June 2020
  • Soak them in water to rinse out that funk, and the radish loses some of its characteristic bite.
    — Ali Bouzari, SFChronicle.com, 22 June 2018
  • That shouldn’t be too tough for you, with your sign’s characteristic steadiness!
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 10 Mar. 2026
  • More characteristic are views in which the ocean is unframed by land, and sometimes not even sky.
    — Washington Post, 22 Apr. 2022
  • By Air—and on and on and on—every day with characteristic ease.
    — The Editors Of Gq Style, GQ, 24 Oct. 2017
  • One characteristic trait of men's swim trunks is the mesh liner, but not all swimsuits have it.
    — Men's Health, 30 Jan. 2023
  • The characteristic sound of the flat-six floods the cabin through the unique intake path.
    — Michael Harley, Robb Report, 23 Mar. 2022
  • But the case of how early primates evolved some of their most characteristic traits isn’t closed just yet.
    — Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Nov. 2022
  • But its lack of the characteristic heartbeat pulse challenges that idea.
    — New Atlas, 29 Aug. 2025
  • That frequency depends on the shape of each ridge, which guides the waves down with a characteristic speed.
    — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 25 Feb. 2026
  • But the most characteristic signs of measles — tiny white spots in the mouth and a blotchy rash that spreads from head to toe — don’t appear right away.
    — Aria Bendix, NBC News, 28 Feb. 2024
  • Though Belt, with characteristic humor, will have none of that.
    — John Shea, San Francisco Chronicle, 8 Apr. 2022
  • Gluten is the stringy strands that give bread dough its stretch and elasticity, and baked bread its characteristic chew.
    — Claire Saffitz, Bon Appetit, 8 Aug. 2017
  • Gluten is the stringy strands that give bread dough its stretch and elasticity, and baked bread its characteristic chew.
    — Claire Saffitz, Bon Appétit, 10 Aug. 2023
  • The characteristic colors and swirling veins of marble never go out of style.
    — Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2023
  • In the past, did quick chemical tests for cannabinoids and look for characteristic hairs that should be present on any pot plants.
    — Keri Blakinger, Houston Chronicle, 3 July 2019
  • But unlike the desert boot, which features a characteristic crepe sole, chukkas may have leather or rubber soles.
    — Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 16 Mar. 2026
  • The shape of these field lines give the solar wind its characteristic properties.
    — Chris Lee, Ars Technica, 23 Aug. 2019
  • Most of the region is still very warm, characteristic of El Niño.
    — Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 8 Mar. 2024
  • Its laughable 11-mpg thirst is as charming as the characteristic tremor of a small-block at idle.
    — Eric Tingwall, Car and Driver, 21 Mar. 2018
  • When part of the heart doesn’t get enough blood, the EKG has characteristic changes.
    — Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 17 Aug. 2023
  • The characteristic symptom of shingles is a painful rash, which often wraps around the left or right side of your torso.
    — Korin Miller, SELF, 6 Apr. 2018
  • But the one-story home lacked the wide-open spaces that are characteristic of how people think of ranch homes today.
    — Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Sep. 2022
  • Blunt ends and a slight taper are characteristic of bear turds, which tend to be less uniform in shape than those of big grazers like elk and moose.
    — Steven Hill, Field & Stream, 29 Nov. 2023
  • There are other symptoms characteristic of the flu, such as body aches and malaise, that may put you in bed for several days.
    — Arnold Monto, Philly.com, 24 Jan. 2018

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'characteristic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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