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recognition

noun

rec·​og·​ni·​tion ˌre-kig-ˈni-shən How to pronounce recognition (audio)
-kəg-
1
: the action of recognizing : the state of being recognized: such as
a
: acknowledgment
especially : formal acknowledgment of the political existence of a government or nation
b
: knowledge or feeling that someone or something present has been encountered before
2
: special notice or attention
3
: the sensing and encoding of printed or written data by a machine
optical character recognition
magnetic ink character recognition

Examples of recognition in a Sentence

The procedure is gaining recognition as the latest advance in organ transplant surgery. The Olympic Committee gave official recognition to the sport. His smile was a recognition that things were not so bad. Her paintings received recognition from her fellow artists. All she wanted was some recognition for her work. He finally received the recognition that he deserved. They were awarded medals in recognition of their bravery.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That recognition attests to the remarkable range and enduring impact of his work on both stage and screen. Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2025 Rookie kicker Andy Borregales can argue a strong case, but falls short in the name-recognition department, which makes Chargers veteran Cameron Dicker and Houston’s Ka’imi Fairbairn more likely selections in a fan vote. Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 28 Nov. 2025 Computer vision — which allows machines to analyze and understand images or video — enables tasks such as image recognition, pattern detection, segmentation, and facial recognition. Maria Bolevich, Interesting Engineering, 28 Nov. 2025 For every legitimate application that solves a real problem, there are dozens of knockoffs waiting to exploit brand recognition and user trust. Staff, FOXNews.com, 28 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for recognition

Word History

Etymology

Middle English recognicion, from Anglo-French recognition, from Latin recognition-, recognitio, from recognoscere

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of recognition was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Recognition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recognition. Accessed 4 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

recognition

noun
rec·​og·​ni·​tion ˌrek-ig-ˈnish-ən How to pronounce recognition (audio)
ˌrek-əg-
1
: the act of recognizing
2
: acknowledgment of something done or given
got a medal in recognition of bravery
3
: formal acknowledgment of the political existence of a government or nation
4
: special attention or notice

Medical Definition

recognition

noun
rec·​og·​ni·​tion ˌrek-əg-ˈnish-ən How to pronounce recognition (audio)
: the form of memory that consists in knowing or feeling that a present object has been met before

Legal Definition

recognition

noun
rec·​og·​ni·​tion ˌre-kəg-ˈni-shən How to pronounce recognition (audio)
1
: the act, process, or fact of recognizing
2
: the state of being recognized
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