identification
Americannoun
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an act or instance of identifying; the state of being identified.
- Synonyms:
- affiliation, connection, association
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something that identifies a person, animal, or thing.
He carries identification with him at all times.
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Sociology. acceptance as one's own of the values and interests of a social group.
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Psychology.
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a process by which one ascribes to oneself the qualities or characteristics of another person.
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(in psychoanalytic theory) the transference or reaction to one person with the feelings or responses relevant to another, as the identification of a teacher with a parent.
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perception of another as an extension of oneself.
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noun
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the act of identifying or the state of being identified
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something that identifies a person or thing
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( as modifier )
an identification card
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psychol
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the process of recognizing specific objects as the result of remembering
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the process by which one incorporates aspects of another person's personality See also empathy
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the transferring of a response from one situation to another because the two bear similar features See also generalization
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Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of identification
First recorded in 1635–45; identi(fy) + -fication
Explanation
Identification is what you show when someone wants proof of who you are. When you get pulled over by a cop for speeding, you better have your driver’s license on you as your form of identification! Identification isn’t just the card or passport you carry around in your wallet to prove who you are to others. You can also have an identification with a person if you share common beliefs, traditions, or values; then you can say that you identify with that person. Identification can also mean the process of recognizing or identifying something. You may have to wait to adopt that stray dog until the pound has put the pooch through an identification process, trying to see if he already belongs to another family.
Vocabulary lists containing identification
Travel
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"The Interlopers" and "An Interview with the King of Terror"
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"CLEP Financial Accounting," Vocabulary from Chapter 1
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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:
The person was wearing a hat with a hood over it, making identification difficult for police.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
In California, there are more than 35 million driver’s license and state identification holders, according to DMV data.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
"Collecting good identification photographs whenever possible is key: we are still seeing new techniques of how orcas hunt and process their prey," concluded Ayres.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 23, 2026
Six tankers crossed through the strait Sunday without their automatic identification systems on, according to data from Kpler — with two entering and four exiting the waterway.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026
“You made that first identification, and now the only thing to do is to admit the error. There seems to be no doubt about it this time.”
From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier
Algae-heads have flocked to the posts to share their own photos, hazard species-level identifications, and talk trash.
From Slate ● Jun. 27, 2026
The duo did not have formal identifications with them and initially tried to lie to police about their names, he added.
From Barron's ● May 18, 2026
Unlike more straightforward identifications, this case required multiple scientific approaches and specialized expertise.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 27, 2026
The Nevada County Sheriff's Office said on Thursday that it is unable to confirm the identifications, ages, affiliations, or cities of origin for the victims until the recovery mission is completed.
From BBC ● Feb. 19, 2026
When we traveled in certain remote parts of the world, we would use other names and identifications.
From "Shelter (Book One): A Mickey Bolitar Novel" by Harlan Coben
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
