classify

American  

[klas-uh-fahy] / ˈklæs əˌfaɪ /

verb (used with object)

classified, classifying

1. to arrange or organize by classes; order according to class.

   Synonyms:

   group, categorize, rate, rank, class

2. to assign a classification to (information, a document, etc.).

3. to limit the availability of (information, a document, etc.) to authorized persons.

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classify British  

/ ˈklæsɪˌfaɪ /

verb

1. to arrange or order by classes; categorize

2. government to declare (information, documents, etc) of possible aid to an enemy and therefore not available to people outside a restricted group

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Other Word Forms

• classifiable adjective
• classifier noun
• misclassify verb (used with object)
• nonclassifiable adjective
• overclassify verb (used with object)
• preclassify verb (used with object)
• unclassifiable adjective
• unclassifiableness noun
• unclassifiably adverb
• unclassifying adjective

Etymology

Origin of classify

First recorded in 1790–1800; from Latin classi(s) class + -fy

Example Sentences

Moor Mother’s discography, much like her professional life, is difficult to classify.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026

"The central and innovative approach of our study is to classify patient data according to the severity of the original COVID-19 disease," says Yang Li.

From Science Daily • Mar. 26, 2026

I think that it depends on how we’re going to classify benefit.

From Salon • Mar. 6, 2026

However, the government has previously told the BBC the authority is breaching government guidelines by using an alternative method to classify its roads.

From BBC • Feb. 7, 2026

“I was just telling your wife, I do a little ministering. I study and classify the fauna. I observe a great deal, and probably offer very little salvation in the long run.”

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

Related Words

• allocate
• analyze
• arrange
• distribute
• divide
• label
• organize
• segregate