category
noun
cat·e·go·ry
ˈka-tə-ˌgȯr-ē 
plural categories
1
: any of several fundamental and distinct classes to which entities or concepts belong
Taxpayers fall into one of several categories.
2
: a division within a system of classification
She competed for the award in her age category.
Examples of category in a Sentence
The cars belong to the same category.
Taxpayers fall into one of several categories.
She competed for the award in her age category.
Recent Examples on the Web
In winning, Zhao became the first Asian woman to win that directing category at the Oscars.
—
Brian Anthony Hernandez, PEOPLE, 11 Jan. 2026
Their work laid the foundations for today’s nuclear propulsion concepts and led to several ideas for INRs, which can be grouped into two categories.
—Matthew S Williams, Interesting Engineering, 10 Jan. 2026
Another category to consider adding to your wellness pantry is tonics, highly concentrated shots of goodness stocked with superfoods.
—Andrea Strong, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Jan. 2026
Lighting is a category that might keep you busy 12 hours a day.
—Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for category
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Category.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/category. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
Kids Definition
category
noun
cat·e·go·ry
ˈkat-ə-ˌgōr-ē
-ˌgȯr-
plural categories
1
: one of the divisions or groupings used in a system of classification
"species" and "genus" are biological categories
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share