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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

"Twenty-five years after 9/11, we mourn and we grieve what happened, and at the same time, we recognize that I am not responsible for what happened," he told AFP.

From Barron's ● Sep. 4, 2026

USC has refused to recognize the result, asking the National Labor Relations Board to throw it out.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026

Testing sound mixes at home with his daughter, he learned to balance the heavy beat with clear vocal tracks and familiar melodies so toddlers could still recognize the song.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

While investors often recognize OCI’s growth prospects, “understanding the rest of the company and its ability to fund investment and drive profits are critical whether you are a bull or a bear,” he wrote.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026

After two rings, a woman with an accent I don’t quite recognize answers.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

The U.S. recognizes U.K. control over the territory, but has remained neutral on the question of sovereignty.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026

Green recognizes organic foods and stone-ground grains are too expensive for many Americans, but says the movement "has a real-life feel to it right now."

From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026

She has mild dementia but is still capable of making decisions, and she recognizes her three children.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 27, 2026

Cowin may appear as the subject in her photographs, but she is primarily the narrator, an intriguingly unreliable narrator who recognizes the inevitability of multiple, simultaneous truths.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026

“His actions appear to have been impulsive, immature, and unpremeditated. He did make a big mistake and recognizes that. He asked for our forgiveness.”

From "The 57 Bus" by Dashka Slater

The final part of the strategy focuses on organizing healthcare services so that patients at greatest risk can be recognized quickly and receive timely care from both cardiologists and nephrologists.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 6, 2026

“I hope ranchers will be recognized as part of the solution to climate change,” Valdez said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2026

Oversight of nationally recognized statistical rating organizations is a federal function reserved to the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Credit Rating Agency Reform Act of 2006.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

This tendency has been recognized on Wall Street for more than a century.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 3, 2026

He recognized how tired her voice sounded, and suddenly he felt terrible.

From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova

Earlier research has already used expanded genetic alphabets to create synthetic DNA molecules capable of recognizing liver cancer cells.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 5, 2026

Part of getting older is recognizing what tier of friend you are to others and what role you play in their social landscape.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026

“Despite recognizing this science internally, they poured resources into a campaign of deception and obstruction to protect their profits,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

"They have evolved with us to understand our expressions and cooperate with us, and recognizing that can change how we communicate with and care for them."

From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026

As they roamed in a tight pack up the sidewalk, people started recognizing them.

From "Dog Squad" by Chris Grabenstein

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