profiling

[ˈprəʊfaɪlɪŋ]

profiling Definition

  • 1the recording and analysis of a person's psychological and behavioral characteristics, so as to assess or predict their capabilities in a certain area or to assist in identifying a particular subgroup of people
  • 2the use of personal characteristics or behavior patterns to make generalizations about a person, especially when done without factual basis or for discriminatory purposes

Using profiling: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "profiling" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

  • Example

    The police were accused of racial profiling after stopping and searching several black men.

  • Example

    The company uses profiling to match job candidates with the right positions.

  • Example

    The website uses profiling to suggest products based on users' browsing history.

profiling Synonyms and Antonyms

Phrases with profiling

  • the process of identifying the characteristics of a criminal based on evidence from the crime scene and other sources

    Example

    The FBI uses criminal profiling to help solve difficult cases.

  • the practice of using race or ethnicity as a factor in deciding whether to stop and search someone

    Example

    Many people believe that racial profiling is a form of discrimination.

  • the process of analyzing a person's psychological and behavioral characteristics in order to create a profile of them

    Example

    Psychological profiling is often used in criminal investigations.

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Summary: profiling in Brief

Profiling [ˈprəʊfaɪlɪŋ] refers to the recording and analysis of a person's psychological and behavioral characteristics to assess or predict their capabilities or to identify subgroups. It can be used for job matching or product suggestions but can also be discriminatory, such as racial profiling. Other types include criminal and psychological profiling.

How do native speakers use this expression?