recognition

American  

[rek-uhg-nish-uhn] / ˌrɛk əgˈnɪʃ ən /

noun

recognitions plural

1. an act of recognizing or the state of being recognized.

2. the identification of something as having been previously seen, heard, known, etc.

3. the perception of something as existing or true; realization.

4. the acknowledgment of something as valid or as entitled to consideration.

   the recognition of a claim.

5. the acknowledgment of achievement, service, merit, etc.

   Synonyms:

   acceptance, notice

6. the expression of this in the form of some token of appreciation.

   This promotion constitutes our recognition of her exceptional ability.

7. formal acknowledgment conveying approval or sanction.

8. acknowledgment of right to be heard or given attention.

   The chairman refused recognition to any delegate until order could be restored.

9. Psychology. the act or process of retrieving information previously encoded and stored in memory, when cued with the targeted information itself.

   The paper studies the effect of storytelling on English learners’ recognition of vocabulary words.

10. International Law. an official act by which one state acknowledges the existence of another state or government, or of belligerency or insurgency.

11. the automated conversion of information, as words or images, into a form that can be processed by a machine, especially a computer or computerized device.

12. Biochemistry. the responsiveness of one substance to another based on the reciprocal fit of a portion of their molecular shapes.

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recognition British  

/ ˌrɛkəɡˈnɪʃən, rɪˈkɒɡnɪtɪv /

noun

1. the act of recognizing or fact of being recognized

2. acceptance or acknowledgment of a claim, duty, fact, truth, etc

3. a token of thanks or acknowledgment

4. formal acknowledgment of a government or of the independence of a country

5. an instance of a chairman granting a person the right to speak in a deliberative body, debate, etc

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recognition Cultural  

1. In diplomacy, the act by which one nation acknowledges that a foreign government is a legitimate government and exchanges diplomats with it. The withholding of recognition is a way for one government to show its disapproval of another.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• prerecognition
  noun
• recognitional
  adjective
• recognitive
  adjective
• recognitory
  adjective
• unrecognitory
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• recognitions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of recognition

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English recognicion, either from Old French or directly from Latin recognitiōn- (stem of recognitiō ), equivalent to recognit(us) (past participle of recognōscere; see recognize) + -iōn- -ion

Explanation

Recognition is when you remember something or someone you're familiar with — like the flash of recognition you experience at your high school reunion. Recognition isn't just about remembering what something looks like — it's also used to describe when you remember that someone has done something special, and decide to recognize their efforts with an award or speech. This type of recognition is a form of acknowledgment, a way to say "we approve" or "good work!"

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

recognition recognitions

In the UK research suggests around one in ten couples now has a prenup, following a legal shift in England towards greater recognition.

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

The data on which image recognition and generative models are based rely on statistics and probability to arbitrate the truth.

From Salon ● Jul. 28, 2026

District Court of Maine, alleging that federal agents are using facial recognition and license plate readers to surveil and threaten legal observers in the state.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

Only five genera in the Cryptobranchidae family had previously been described, making the recognition of another genus an important addition to scientists' understanding of giant salamander diversity.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 24, 2026

“I can write some algorithms to help your search. I can create a visual recognition program to see if their faces pop up in anyone else’s social media. I can help a lot.”

From "City Spies" by James Ponti

“The decision about how to commemorate the movement and its participants rests with the local communities who organize those recognitions, events and commemorations. That has always been the case,” the foundation’s statement said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 21, 2026

The Book Of HOV presents thousands of archived objects, including original recording masters, never-before-seen photos, iconic stage wear, prestigious awards and recognitions, as well as videos and artifacts from every facet on JAY-Z's professional life.

From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2023

A fundraiser in Drogheda on Friday aims to boost the campaign for a statue in Gogarty's honour; it would be one of the few recognitions of her achievements in Ireland.

From BBC ● May 17, 2023

Some agreements were formal recognitions of existing colonies and territories, while others recognized new claims.

From Textbooks ● Dec. 14, 2022

This was to be a night of odd recognitions.

From Willing to Die by Le Fanu, Joseph Sheridan

Related Words

• acceptance
• admission
• appreciation
• awareness
• concession
• perception
• realization
• respect
• understanding