categorise

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "categorise" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used as a verb, for example: "I organised the books by categorising them into fiction and non-fiction."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

After all, the effort to classify and categorise disorders of something as complex as the human mind especially when that categorisation is done by committee is unlikely to please everybody.

The Economist

She is fascinated by the intimacy and frailty of human relations, and tries not to categorise or define those experiences.

The Guardian - Film

Yet if this level of emissions seems irresponsibly high – which it surely is in a carbon-constrained world trying to avert the risk of dangerous climate change – then how should we categorise 3.7bn tonnes of CO2-e, a figure more than triple that from the Keystone XL proposal?

The Guardian

She said the papers had been treated as "too difficult" to categorise.

The Guardian

Rusedski's world ranking is such that he could not even make the seedings for this Wimbledon warm-up, but it is hard to categorise his 7-6, 7-6 win over Gambill as an upset.

The Guardian - Sport

Since the release of his band Antony and the Johnsons' 2005 album I Am A Bird Now (which chronicled his experiences as a transgender person and was the surprise winner of the Mercury prize, selling upwards of 500,000 copies), there have been many attempts to categorise his sound, ranging from "chamber pop" to "ethereal torch singing".

The Guardian - Music

Our brains are wired to instinctively categorise people based on a host of visible and obvious criteria, but also on invisible and thus less obvious labels – age, skin colour, gender, sexual orientation, job title, accent, education, professional group to name but a few.

The Guardian

Hart, Detwiler, and their colleagues have recommended that the IUCN Red List categorise the lesula as vulnerable.

The Guardian

Even then, the researchers were keen to stress that it is hard to categorise what counts as problem behaviour and almost impossible to discern whether games are the cause rather than underlying mental health issues that could have manifested in any number of ways.

The Guardian - Opinion

The machine learned to categorise common things it saw, including human faces and (to the amusement of the internet's denizens) the cats—sleeping, jumping or skateboarding that are ubiquitous online.

The Economist

The motives of state-sponsored or state-tolerated hackers are harder to categorise, ranging from a wish to cause chaos to pilfering industrial secrets.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "categorise", ensure that the criteria for categorization are clear and consistent to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using subjective or poorly defined criteria when you "categorise" items, as this can lead to inconsistent and unreliable groupings.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "categorise" is as a transitive verb. It describes the action of placing items into specific categories or groups based on shared characteristics or criteria. As Ludwig confirms, it is a valid verb in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Formal & Business

5%

Science

5%

Less common in

Academia

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The term "categorise" is a commonly used verb that describes the act of sorting items into specific groups. As per Ludwig AI, it is grammatically correct and frequently employed in writing. Predominantly found in news and media, it also appears in formal, business, and scientific contexts. When using "categorise", ensure your criteria are clearly defined to maintain consistency. For alternative phrasing, consider "classify" or "group". Remember that while "categorise" is the British English spelling, the American English version is "categorize".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

classify

Uses a more general term for placing items into groups.

group

Focuses on the act of forming groups based on similarities.

sort

Implies arranging items in a specific order or system.

arrange

Suggests placing items in a particular order or sequence.

label

Focuses on assigning a descriptive name or tag.

index

Indicates creating a systematic list for easy reference.

systematize

Emphasizes organizing something into a coherent system.

codify

Implies arranging laws or rules into a systematic code.

tabulate

Focuses on presenting data in a table or list.

pigeonhole

Suggests rigidly assigning someone or something to a category, often negatively.

FAQs

How to use "categorise" in a sentence?

You can use "categorise" to describe the act of placing things into groups based on shared characteristics. For example, "The librarian will categorise the books by genre".

What can I say instead of "categorise"?

You can use alternatives like "classify", "group", or "sort" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "categorise" or "categorize"?

"Categorise" is the British English spelling, while "categorize" is the American English spelling. Both are correct, but use the one appropriate for your audience.

What's the difference between "categorise" and "describe"?

"Categorise" means to place something into a specific group, while "describe" means to give details about its characteristics.