Slow speech is characteristic of that man.
Source: tatoeba (30135)
Characteristic
/ˌkæɹəktəˈɹɪstɪk/
Synonyms for "characteristic" (442 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (89)
Noun(35 words)
featureactivity featurealgebraic structure propertiesalgorithm propertyanimal featureanimal featuresanimal traitanimal traitsaspectaspectsattributeattribute a flawattribute a propertyattribute a resultattribute definitionattribute termattribute toattribute wordattributesaudio feature
Show 15 more words
bedabehavior traitbiological propertybodily featurecategorize as variablecharacter traitcharacter traitschemical compoundchemistry oriented descriptorclass attributeclassification criterioncommon traitcultural descriptordata attributedata feature
Adjective(15 words)
algorithmic propertyatomic propertybehavioral attributebehavioral qualitybehavioral traitsbiological descriptorbiological descriptorsbiological featuresbiological traitbiomedical propertybotanical traitcatalan potterychemical species propertiesconsistent behavioral traitcultural attribute
Verb(1 words)
be content with absence
Strong matches (132)
Noun(41 words)
definingdefining worddescriptor of designdescriptorsdesign attributedesign propertydesign traitdesignationdevice characteristicdiagnosticdistinctiondistinctivedistinctivenessearmarksecosystem attributeeducational intervention descriptorelectrical propertyengineering propertyfastener featurefeature presentation
Show 21 more words
featuresfingerprintsfoiblesfossil imprint detailfunction propertygenetic traitgraph featuregroup attributegroup attribute measuregroup propertygroup traithair featurehallmarkhtml attributehuman traitidentifyingidentifying featureidentity traitimmaterial thing propertyindicatorindividual property
Verb(3 words)
Adjective(19 words)
defining traitdescriptive featuresdescriptive propertydiagnostic traitdistinct featuresdistinctive behaviordistinctive patterndistinctive persondistinctive traitdistinguishing featuredistinguishing traitdutch attribuutecological attributeeducational attributefeaturalgeometric propertiesindependent descriptorindicativeinteger descriptor
denominativedevicedharmadiacriticaldiagnosticdiathesisdifferencedifferencingdifferentiadifferentialdifferentiativediscriminatingdiscriminativedispositiondispositionaldistinctivedistinctive featuredistinguisheddistinguishingdivisional
Show 48 more words
divisionaryearmarkelementemblematicemotionalequationespecialethosexemplaryfeaturefiberfigureflavorforce of habitformulaframegeniusgraingusthabithabit patternhabitudehallmarkhuehumorhumorsidiocrasyidiocraticidiosyncrasyidiosyncraticilkimageimpressimpressionin characterindexindicantindicativeindicatorindividualindividualismindividualizingindividuatinginherentinnateinsigniaintellectualintrinsic
Preposition(1 words)
in detail
Related words (221)
keynotekindlineamentsmakeupmannerismmarkmarkedmarkingmeasurementalmoldmouldmouldermouldynaturalnaturalisticnaturenormalnoteodor
Show 87 more words
ordinalparticularparticularitypatternpeculiarpeculiaritypersonalizingphysiquepicturepointpracticepraxisproperpropertyqualityquintessentialquirkrealisticregularrepresentationrepresentativerespectsamplesavoir-fairesavorsealsecond natureseemlyseparativeshapesigilsignsignalsignaturesinglesingularsingularitysmacksomatotypesortsoundspecialspecialtyspecificspiritspiritualstampstereotypestereotyped behaviorstreakstripestylesubdivisionalsuchnesssure signsymbolicsymptomsymptomaticsystemtainttangtastetaxonomictelltale signtempertemperamenttemperamentaltendencytenortokentonetraittricktrue to formtrue to typetypaltypetypictypicaluniqueusageuseusualveinvirtuewaywont
Noun(72 words)
landscape elementlanguage featurelanguage propertylife-form descriptorlineamentmaterial descriptormaterial propertymathematical descriptormodeling descriptormore definingmore material-propertymore representativemore scientific descriptormost printmakingmost qualitativemost typicalnetwork propertyowndomparameterparameters
Show 52 more words
particularitiespeculiaritiespersonal attributepersonality detailpersonality traitphysical propertiesphysical qualityplant attributeplant traitpoeciliidportuguese atributopredicate nounproduct attributepropertyproperty adjectiveproperty in scienceproperty of matterproperty termproprietyqualitative adjectivequalitative descriptorqualitiesqualityquality attributesquality descriptorquality termquality wordquiddityraceremarkrepresentativesignsignaturessoil attributesoil propertysolution propertyspecialitystate of mutenesssubstance characteristicsubstance propertysurface featureswedish attributsystem descriptortouchtraittypicaltypical lesson exampletypifyingtypifying characteristicvariable attributewhatnesswriting system feature
Adjective(36 words)
liquid state descriptorlogical propertymaterial attributemathematical propertymeasurable attributemeasurable traitsmechanical propertymedical descriptormolecular descriptornational attributenatural-number propertiesnonliving traitobservable traitobserved propertyorganismal featurepersonal traitphysical descriptorphysical traitphysiological cross qualifierportuguese descritor
Show 16 more words
portuguese qualidadepredicativepsychological attributepsychological traitqualitative anecdotequalitative attributequalitative resultsqualitative termromanian atributscientific propertysole descriptorspecimenlikestrong behavioral traittangible featureunique person traitsvisible trait
Determiner(2 words)
more animal featurestwo distinct persons
Adverb(1 words)
most distinctive person
Verb(3 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: feature, activity feature, affection, affective, algebraic structure properties.
- Sentence evidence is available for characteristic, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wiktionary, wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "characteristic".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "characteristic"
Keep "characteristic" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "characteristic" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "characteristic", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "characteristic" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
8 entriesMore specific
10 entriesCollocations
9 entriescharacteristic featurecharacteristic traitcommon attributedefining characteristicdistinctive featuredistinguishing traitidentifying markobservable qualitytypical characteristic
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
5 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
5 entriesSample sentences
18 total sentences available.
It's characteristic of him to behave like that.
Source: tatoeba (41441)
It is not characteristic of you to say such a thing to her.
Source: tatoeba (41578)
It is characteristic of him to do such a thing.
Source: tatoeba (41621)
Showing 4 of 18 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "characteristic"?
Closest matches include feature, activity feature, affection, affective, algebraic structure properties.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "characteristic"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.