identify

[ ahy-den-tuh-fahy, ih-den- ]

/ aɪˈdɛn təˌfaɪ, ɪˈdɛn- /

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See synonyms for: identify / identified / identifies / identifying on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), i·den·ti·fied, i·den·ti·fy·ing.

to recognize or establish as being a particular person or thing; verify the identity of: to identify handwriting; to identify the bearer of a check.

to serve as a means of identification for: His gruff voice quickly identified him.

to make, represent to be, or regard or treat as the same or identical: They identified Jones with the progress of the company.

to associate in name, feeling, interest, action, etc. (usually followed by with): He preferred not to identify himself with that group.

Biology. to determine to what group (a given specimen) belongs.

Psychology. to associate (one or oneself) with another person or a group of persons by identification.

verb (used without object), i·den·ti·fied, i·den·ti·fy·ing.

to associate oneself in feeling, interest, action, etc., with a specified group or belief system (usually followed by as or with): He identifies as bisexual. She identifies with feminism. My family identifies Hispanic.

to experience psychological identification: The audience identified with the play's characters.

OTHER WORDS FOR identify

1 distinguish, place, know, determine.

See synonyms for identify on Thesaurus.com

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Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of identify

1635–45; <Medieval Latin identificāre, equivalent to identi(tās) identity + -ficāre-fy

OTHER WORDS FROM identify

i·den·ti·fi·a·ble, adjectivei·den·ti·fi·a·bil·i·ty, i·den·ti·fi·a·ble·ness, nouni·den·ti·fi·er, nouno·ver·i·den·ti·fy, verb, o·ver·i·den·ti·fied, o·ver·i·den·ti·fy·ing.

pre·i·den·ti·fy, verb (used with object), pre·i·den·ti·fied, pre·i·den·ti·fy·ing.re·i·den·ti·fy, verb (used with object), re·i·den·ti·fied, re·i·den·ti·fy·ing.un·i·den·ti·fi·a·ble, adjectiveun·i·den·ti·fi·a·bly, adverbun·i·den·ti·fied, adjectiveun·i·den·ti·fy·ing, adjectivewell-i·den·ti·fied, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use identify in a sentence

Perhaps most famously, forensic genetic genealogy was used in 2018 to identify and arrest Joseph James DeAngelo, the man who for decades was known in California as the Golden State Killer.
Prince George’s will use DNA registries to solve cold cases through new DOJ grant|Katie Mettler|November 19, 2020|Washington Post
The company is aiming to go public as soon as the first quarter of 2021, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the information is private.
Robinhood asks banks to pitch for potential 2021 IPO|Lee Clifford|November 18, 2020|Fortune
I dig into the findings of BofA’s latest survey of the portfolio pros, identifying where the money is flowing as we head into a new year.
Here are the most bullish trades for 2021—and, no, Bitcoin does not top the list|Bernhard Warner|November 18, 2020|Fortune
If a cyberattack were properly identified in time, the vaccine could be remanufactured, but it would result in a backup in its distribution.
How bad actors could sabotage a COVID vaccine—and how that can be prevented|jakemeth|November 18, 2020|Fortune

That team has gathered enough data to identify types of stories it is confident will do well.
‘Reestablishing our journalistic value’: Publishers make more of their exclusive subscriber content|Max Willens|November 17, 2020|Digiday
He frets about how identifiable he is in the grainy footage.
'Babylon' Review: The Dumb Lives of Trigger-Happy Cops|Melissa Leon|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
But unlike any other director, he was an identifiable public figure, as recognizable as any president or movie star.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It has to be said that Dunham includes characteristics that do make “Barry” potentially identifiable.
The Right's Rape Trolls vs. Lena Dunham|Emily Shire|December 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
These are palpable, identifiable matters that are ingrained into the very fabric of The Babadook.
‘The Babadook’ Is the Best (and Most Sincere) Horror Movie of the Year|Samuel Fragoso|November 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In New York City, he was a character who was immediately identifiable.
What Lincoln Could Teach Fox News|Scott Porch|November 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It is only in sense-knowledge that the stimulus and what is known are, with qualifications, identifiable.
The Analysis of Mind|Bertrand Russell
Well-known airs are accompanied by raps beaten in perfect time with them and identifiable as the counterpart of the airs.
Mysterious Psychic Forces|Camille Flammarion
Mr. Eliot is one of the very few who have given a personal rhythm, an identifiable quality of sound as well as of style.
Instigations|Ezra Pound
Even the "Arabian Nights" have a clearly identifiable background of popular legend and myth.
Five Plays|Edward John Dunsany
Recognition indicates only that an object has sufficiently impressed a mind to keep it known and identifiable.
Criminal Psychology|Hans Gross

British Dictionary definitions for identify

identify

/ (aɪˈdɛntɪˌfaɪ) /

verb -fies, -fying or -fied (mainly tr)

to prove or recognize as being a certain person or thing; determine the identity of

to consider as the same or equivalent

(also intr often foll by with) to consider (oneself) as similar to another

to determine the taxonomic classification of (a plant or animal)

(intr usually foll by with) psychol to engage in identification

Derived forms of identify

identifiable, adjectiveidentifiably, adverb

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

identify

OTHER WORDS FOR identify

Origin of identify

OTHER WORDS FROM identify

Words related to identify

How to use identify in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for identify

Derived forms of identify