recognize

[ rek-uhg-nahyz ]

/ ˈrɛk əgˌnaɪz /

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See synonyms for: recognize / recognized / recognizes / recognizing on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), rec·og·nized, rec·og·niz·ing.

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.

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.

OTHER WORDS FOR recognize

3 acknowledge, appreciate, understand, grant, concede.

See synonyms for recognize on Thesaurus.com

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Also especially British, rec·og·nise .

Origin of recognize

1425–75; recogn(ition) + -ize; replacing late Middle English racunnysen, recognisen<Old French reconuiss-, stem of reconuistre<Latin recognōscere, equivalent to re-re- + cognōscere to know¹; see cognition

OTHER WORDS FROM recognize

rec·og·niz·a·ble

[rek-uhg-nahy-zuh-buhl, rek-uhg-nahy-], /ˈrɛk əgˌnaɪ zə bəl, ˌrɛk əgˈnaɪ-/, adjectiverec·og·niz·a·bil·i·ty, nounrec·og·niz·a·bly, adverbrec·og·niz·er, noun

non·rec·og·nized, adjectivepre·rec·og·nize, verb (used with object), pre·rec·og·nized, pre·rec·og·niz·ing.qua·si-rec·og·nized, adjectiveun·rec·og·niz·a·ble, adjectiveun·rec·og·niz·a·bly, adverbun·rec·og·nized, adjectiveun·rec·og·niz·ing, adjectivewell-rec·og·nized, adjective

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

How to use recognize in a sentence

A few studies measuring antibodies — key proteins that recognize and bind to germs — suggest that their levels do wane with time.
A Hong Kong man got the new coronavirus twice|Erin Garcia de Jesus|August 26, 2020|Science News For Students
A few studies measuring antibodies — key immune proteins that recognize and bind to pathogens — suggest that antibody levels do wane over time.
A man in Hong Kong is the first confirmed case of coronavirus reinfection|Erin Garcia de Jesus|August 24, 2020|Science News
The game’s scenarios, while simplified, recognize real-world problems for these animals.
The board game Endangered shows just how hard conservation can be|Sarah Zielinski|August 21, 2020|Science News
That finding gives astronomers more confidence that they will be able to recognize potentially habitable exoplanets.
Hubble watched a lunar eclipse to see Earth from an alien’s perspective|Maria Temming|August 17, 2020|Science News

Now researchers have discovered a set of supersensing cells in the taste buds of mice that can detect four of the five flavors that the buds recognize.
Newly discovered cells in mice can sense four of the five tastes|Carolyn Wilke|August 13, 2020|Science News
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
Is there a more celebrated--and recognizable— 20th century movie director?
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Warren makes one clearly recognizable gesture to the center, and the centrists make one recognizable gesture to the left.
Staving Off a Democratic Civil War|Michael Tomasky|December 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And part of what makes it weird is that he stands alone as a recognizable figure.
Kevin Spacey Stars as a Frank Underwood-like Warmonger in ‘Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare’|Alec Kubas-Meyer|November 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He is probably the most recognizable calavera artist in the world.
New Orleans’ Carnivalesque Day of the Dead|Jason Berry|November 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When she lowered her eyes and looked out again across the sands, the figure had approached so close as to be recognizable.
Dope|Sax Rohmer
Some of them were so worn with hunger and fatigue as to be hardly recognizable, and all were utterly discouraged.
Gold-Seeking on the Dalton Trail|Arthur R. Thompson
I knew that in twenty-four hours there wouldn't be a recognizable body left, and in a week there wouldn't be anything at all.
In the Dark|Ronal Kayser
Some appeared smashed almost out of all recognizable shape, while others were, to all appearances unharmed.
The Sargasso of Space|Edmond Hamilton
The two were Verinder and Captain Kilmeny, though at that distance they were not recognizable.
The Highgrader|William MacLeod Raine

British Dictionary definitions for recognize

recognize

recognise

/ (ˈrɛkəɡˌnaɪz) /

verb (tr)

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)

mainly US and Canadian 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) mainly US to enter into a recognizance

Derived forms of recognize

recognizable or recognisable, adjectiverecognizability or recognisability, nounrecognizably or recognisably, adverbrecognizer or recogniser, noun

Word Origin for recognize

C15: from Latin recognoscere to know again, from re- + cognoscere to know, ascertain

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

recognize

OTHER WORDS FOR recognize

Origin of recognize

OTHER WORDS FROM recognize

Words related to recognize

How to use recognize in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for recognize

recognise

Derived forms of recognize

Word Origin for recognize