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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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

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

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

"Our findings indicate that changes in mitochondrial function lead to the synthesis of cell surface sugar-derived molecules that make it difficult for the immune system to recognize and kill cancer cells," said Tharp.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 1, 2026

“Most importantly, we want to recognize the major role our members played in today’s success as advocates for their industry in California,” Rebecca Rhine, the coalition’s president, said in a statement.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026

I often wonder if you’d recognize me if you saw me today.

From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler

Washington officially recognizes de facto UK administration of the Falkland Islands -- which Argentina calls "Las Malvinas" -- without taking a side on the conflicting sovereignty claims.

From Barron's ● Aug. 31, 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

It recognizes astronauts whose achievements have made an exceptional contribution to the nation's space program.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 24, 2026

The Department of Agriculture’s Yearbook for 1952, devoted entirely to insects, recognizes the fact that insects become resistant but says, “More applications or greater quantities of the insecticides are needed then for adequate control.”

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

That distinction matters because the Supreme Court has recognized aesthetic injuries in other settings.

From Slate ● Sep. 1, 2026

"With antisemitism at crisis levels, the Met honoring John Galliano at this moment was misguided, and even Galliano ultimately recognized what the Met should have done from the start," Greenblatt said.

From Barron's ● Aug. 31, 2026

If signed, the balcony solar bill will go into effect once systems have been certified as safe for use in the U.S. by a nationally recognized testing laboratory like UL Solutions.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 31, 2026

Syracuse University has a $2.5 billion endowment, a storied 150-year tradition and a name recognized across the country.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026

“There you go, miss,” he said, and immediately I recognized that deep, gravelly voice.

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan

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

More than a decade ago, he was among the Chinese AI experts already at the forefront of using computers for humanlike tasks such as understanding language and recognizing faces.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

Since FDR’s project, Congress passed a law recognizing that the president has authority to alter and improve the White House.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

Up until a few years ago, when people started recognizing her for playing poker-faced attorney Kim Wexler on “Better Call Saul,” Seehorn would be standing in a store and customers figured she worked there.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

“He was recognizing patterns no one else was seeing.”

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

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