categories

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "categories" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to distinct classes of things that are split into groups. For example: "The store had a wide variety of products organized into different categories".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

We decided we're going to reduce our reliance on categories that quite frankly take up a lot of space and don't take a lot of money," Clarke said.

The Guardian - Business

The Royal Society considered two main categories of the technology.

The Guardian

Basically, it is the accrued value of all pensions that are not state basic retirement or state earning related The ONS then combine the above four categories to calculate household wealth.

The Guardian

It breaks household wealth down into four broad categories: Net property wealth: if owned, the value of a household's main residence including any other property such as second homes, holiday homes, land and buy-to-lets.

The Guardian

Broadway star Idina Menzel and Will Young both beat off non-musical competition in their categories – best solo performance and best London newcomer respectively – as did jukebox musicals Taboo and American Idiot, voted off-West End and regional shows of the year.

The Guardian

Click here to view video The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is the leading contender at this year's Olivier theatre, dance and opera awards, with nominations in eight categories, including best new play and best director.

The Guardian

This year's Oscar errors extend to the smallest end of the scale: in both the live action and animated short film categories, voters managed to pluck the least exciting option.

The Guardian - Film

The list of internationally approved war crimes indictments drawn up by the commission cover important modern categories of crimes, including aggression, genocide, crimes against humanity, modes of liability – including that of mid-level perpetrators - and international procedures, as well as the development of international criminal justice as a whole.

The Guardian

The nominations for Britain's Bafta awards, announced this morning, saw British director Sam Mendes's debut film short-listed for awards in 14 categories, including best film, best director, best cinematography and best original film music.

The Guardian - Film

Deathly Hallows Part Two looks certain to pick up gongs in technical categories; whether Alan Rickman will triumph over Christopher Plummer (for Beginners) in the best supporting actor wing looks less certain.

The Guardian - Film

Streep and Roberts are not favourites to win their categories, so sustaining the film may prove a challenge, with further strong titles coming into cinemas.

The Guardian - Film

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "categories", ensure that each category is clearly defined and mutually exclusive to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid creating "categories" that overlap with each other. This leads to confusion and makes analysis difficult.

Linguistic Context

The noun "categories" functions as a plural noun, representing multiple groupings or classifications. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Formal & Business

26%

Science

26%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the term "categories" is a grammatically correct and versatile noun used to denote groupings or classifications. Ludwig AI supports its appropriateness for diverse contexts, particularly in news, business, and scientific domains. When using "categories", ensure clarity and mutual exclusivity to avoid ambiguity. Common alternatives include "classifications", "groupings", and "types".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

classifications

This refers to the act of classifying or the result of being classified.

groupings

This emphasizes the act of forming groups or the state of being in a group.

types

This is a more general term for kinds or sorts of things.

sorts

Similar to "types", but can also imply a manner or quality.

kinds

This denotes a natural grouping or division.

divisions

This implies a separation into distinct parts or sections.

segments

This suggests dividing something into portions or sections, often in marketing or data analysis.

classes

This indicates a ranking or social division.

genres

This is usually applied to art, music, and literature and it defines the stylistic category.

varieties

This highlights the range of differences within a set.

FAQs

How can I use "categories" in a sentence?

You can use "categories" to group items with similar characteristics. For example, "The products are organized into different "groupings" based on their function".

What are some alternatives to using the word "categories"?

Depending on the context, you could use "classifications", "types", or "groupings" as alternatives to "categories".

Which is correct: "categories of" or "categories for"?

"Categories of" is generally preferred when describing the contents of the "categories", while "categories for" might be used to describe the purpose of the "categories".

What's the difference between "categories" and "criteria"?

"Categories" are distinct groups or classes, while "criteria" are the standards or tests by which something is judged or classified.