recognize
[verb]
Synonyms:
- identify, know, notice, place, recall, recollect, remember, spot
- accept, acknowledge, admit, allow, concede, grant
- appreciate, notice, respect

---

Related Words: recall, recollect, remember, note, notice, observe, remark

---

English Thesaurus: recognize, identify, distinguish, make something/somebody out, discern, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

rec‧og‧nize S1 W1 (also recognise British English) /ˈrekəɡnaɪz, ˈrekən-/ verb [transitive]
[Word Family: verb: recognize; noun: recognition; adverb: recognizably; adjective: recognizable ≠ unrecognizable]
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: Old French; Origin: reconoistre, from Latin recognoscere, from cognoscere 'to know']

1. [not in progressive] to know who someone is or what something is, because you have seen, heard, experienced, or learned about them in the past:
I didn’t recognize you in your uniform.
It was malaria, but Dr Lee hadn’t recognized the symptoms.

REGISTER
In everyday English, people often say that they know (that) it is someone or something rather than say they recognize them:
I knew it was her by the hat she was wearing.

2. to officially accept that an organization, government, document etc has legal or official authority:
British medical qualifications are recognized in Canada.
recognize something as something
The World Health Organization has recognized alcoholism as a disease since 1951.

3. to accept or admit that something is true
recognize (that)
One must recognise that homesickness is natural.
recognize what/how/who etc
It is important to recognize how little we know about this disease.

4. [usually in passive] if something is recognized by people, they realize that it is important or very good:
Alexander tried to get his work recognized by the medical profession.
be recognized as something
Lawrence’s novel was eventually recognized as a work of genius.
a recognized authority on Roman pottery

5. to officially and publicly thank someone for something they have done, by giving them a special honour:
He was recognized for having saved many lives.
—recognizable /ˈrekəɡnaɪzəbəl, -kən- ˌrekəɡˈnaɪ-/ adjective:
His face was instantly recognizable.
—recognizably adverb

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

recognize
verb
I. know sb/sth again
ADV. immediately, instantly I immediately recognized the building.
easily This is the only species of flamingo in the region, easily recognized by its pink plumage.
barely, hardly Stella hardly recognized her brother.
VERB + RECOGNIZE learn to You learn to recognize the calls of different birds.
be easy to
PREP. as He recognized the man as one of the police officers.
by I recognized her by her red hair.
from I recognized them from a television show.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

recognize
II. understand sth
ADV. fully They fully recognize the need to proceed carefully.
belatedly, finally The government has belatedly recognized the danger to health of passive smoking.
VERB + RECOGNIZE must | be important to | begin to | be slow to The company had been slow to recognize the opportunities available to it.
fail to
PREP. as This issue must be recognized as a priority for the next administration.
PHRASES be generally/universally/widely recognized, be increasingly recognized The strength of this argument is being increasingly recognized.
failure to recognize sth

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

recognize
III. accept sth officially
ADV. clearly The law clearly recognizes that a company is separate from those who invest in it.
formally, officially | internationally, nationally The Medway estuary is recognized internationally as a conservation area.
VERB + RECOGNIZE agree to | refuse to
PREP. as All rivers should be officially recognized as public rights of way.
PHRASES be legally recognized A bill of exchange is a legally recognized document.
a refusal to recognize sth

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

recognize
verb
BAD: On the plane home, I suddenly recognized that I had left my coat at the hotel.
GOOD: On the plane home, I suddenly realized that I had left my coat at the hotel.

Usage Note:
KNOW · REALIZE · RECOGNIZE · UNDERSTAND
Know be aware of a fact or particular piece of information: ‘Do you know their new telephone number?’ ‘I know she’s fond of you. She told me so herself.’
Realize suddenly become aware of a fact or the true meaning of something, especially because you have though about it or received new information about it: ‘I suddenly realized that the thumping I could hear was the sound of my own heart.’ ‘It was only when I saw the expression on the doctor’s face that I realized the seriousness of her illness.’
Recognize know what something is because you have seen/heard/smelled it before; know who someone is because you have seen them before: ‘I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you - you’ve had your hair cut!’
Understand know what something means, what causes something, how something operates, how someone feels etc: ‘I’ve never really understood physics.’ ‘Such behaviour is very difficult to understand.’

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

recognize to know who someone is or what something is, especially because you have seen or heard them before:
I hadn’t seen her for ten years, but I recognized her immediately.
Do you recognize this song?
identify to recognize someone or something and say who or what they are:
As they came closer, I was able to identify two of the group.
It’s delicious but I can’t quite identify the taste.
distinguish to recognize and understand the difference between two or more things or people:
By this age, kids can usually distinguish between right and wrong.
It’s often difficult to distinguish identical twins from each other.
make something/somebody out to be able to see or hear something or someone – used when it is very difficult to do this:
In the distance, I could just make out the outline of an island.
He whispered something but I couldn’t make out what it was.
discern /dɪˈsɜːn $ -ɜːrn/ formal to notice or understand something by looking carefully or thinking about it carefully:
I thought I discerned a faint gleam of hope in his eyes.
A number of differences can be discerned in the data for the three countries.
know to recognize someone or something. Know is often used in everyday English instead of recognize:
How do you know that it is real gold?
I know him from somewhere.
I can’t remember his name, but I know his face.
can tell to be able to recognize someone or something:
I could tell that it was him by his voice.
Can you tell that it’s not real leather?
It’s difficult to be able to tell them apart (=to recognize that they are different).

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲