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Synonyms

recognize

American

[rek-uhg-nahyz] / ˈrɛk əgˌnaɪz /

especially British, recognise

verb (used with object)

to identify as something or someone previously seen, known, etc..

He had changed so much that one could scarcely recognize him.
to identify from knowledge of appearance or characteristics.

I recognized him from the description.
They recognized him as a fraud.
to perceive as existing or true; realize.

to be the first to recognize a fact.

Synonyms:

concede, grant, understand, appreciate, acknowledge
to acknowledge as the person entitled to speak at a particular time.

The Speaker recognized the congressman from Maine.
to acknowledge formally as entitled to treatment as a political unit.

The United States promptly recognized Israel.
to acknowledge or accept formally a specified factual or legal situation.

to recognize a successful revolutionary regime as the de facto government of the country.
to acknowledge or treat as valid.

to recognize a claim.
to acknowledge acquaintance with, as by a greeting, handshake, etc.
to show appreciation of (achievement, service, merit, etc.), as by some reward, public honor, or the like.
Law. to acknowledge (an illegitimate child) as one's own.
Biochemistry, Immunology. to bind with, cleave, or otherwise react to (another substance) as a result of fitting its molecular shape or a portion of its shape.

recognize British

/ ˈrɛkəɡˌnaɪz /

verb

to perceive (a person, creature, or thing) to be the same as or belong to the same class as something previously seen or known; know again
to accept or be aware of (a fact, duty, problem, etc)

to recognize necessity
to give formal acknowledgment of the status or legality of (a government, an accredited representative, etc)
to grant (a person) the right to speak in a deliberative body, debate, etc
to give a token of thanks for (a service rendered, etc)
to make formal acknowledgment of (a claim, etc)
to show approval or appreciation of (something good or pleasing)
to acknowledge or greet (a person), as when meeting by chance
(intr) to enter into a recognizance

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of recognize

First recorded in 1425–75; recogn(ition) ( def. ) + -ize ( def. ); replacing late Middle English racunnysen, recognisen, from Old French reconuiss-, stem of reconuistre, from Latin recognōscere, equivalent to re- re- ( def. ) + cognōscere “to know ¹ ( def. ) ”; see cognition ( def. )

Explanation

When, at a meeting, you wave your hand wildly, you want to be recognized. When the chairperson finally says, “I recognize the man who is about to fall out of his seat,” don't forget what you wanted to say. The verb recognize comes from the Latin root words re (again) and cognoscere (to know) – literally “to know again” or “to identify.” If your own identical twin doesn't recognize you, you might be wearing too much makeup. Recognize can also mean “to acknowledge” or “to appreciate.” When you recognize the donors for their generous contributions to your fundraising event, your parents say, “You're welcome.”

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Vocabulary lists containing recognize

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

recognize recognizes recognized recognizing

“It’s important to recognize that people work in fits and starts. It’s like starting an exercise program. You start running, and six weeks in, something starts hurting and you have to stop for a while.”

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026

“The Rumbler system provides an earlier, more noticeable warning that an emergency vehicle is approaching, giving motorists and pedestrians additional time to recognize the danger and respond safely.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026

In fact, much of what we recognize as the modern court is a construction of Congress.

From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2026

While half-hour runs and swims registered fine, it consistently failed to recognize short but vigorous 20-minute walks and my 40-minute, hilly bike commute to work.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026

There’s something odd about it, like he recognizes me the same way I recognize him.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

“While it is good that Honeywell Aerospace recognizes that it has problems, fixing them will not be an overnight affair,” he said.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026

"This important certification validates the rigor of our airplane's design and recognizes the determination and resilience of our 737 MAX development team," said Stephanie Pope, president of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026

Their letter recognizes that released weights are beyond the makers’ control but never says which weights are safe to release.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026

When the court recognizes Douglass as an author of the Reconstruction Amendments in Barbara, the court is “democratizing constitutional memory.”

From Slate ● Jul. 24, 2026

“She can follow an object with her eyes, for example. Or smile when she recognizes her mother.”

From "Silent To The Bone" by E.L. Konigsburg

“I would also note that California is recognized as the gold standard for integrated coastal management in the United States and around the world.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

Executive producer Conrad Green says the team behind the show always wanted to engage with a younger audience, but also recognized you can’t always force it without turning off your base.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

Companies can consider their substances “generally recognized as safe” and avoid a regulatory process—a system that opponents call the “GRAS loophole.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026

They were outbid six times during this “ordeal” and recognized that they needed to up the ante.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 10, 2026

Anyway, I always recognized injustice when I saw it, and I felt it deeply.

From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo

Her offense is recognizing the truth that differences between men and women are real and substantive.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026

“We all make mistakes—what matters is recognizing them and changing course,” Solís said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

“Then the community doesn’t feel like the department is recognizing these legitimate problems and responding to their concerns.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

This two-stage approach could give policymakers a clearer basis for preparing for rising seas while also recognizing the much greater uncertainty that develops later in the century.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 23, 2026

He heard the familiar puttering of an old propeller, recognizing for an instant the Universal logo above him, the giant globe being encircled by a small airplane.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023