recognition
noun
rec·og·ni·tion
ˌre-kig-ˈni-shən 
-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
The three-day Nashville event (like the position) has grown in popularity and recognition — especially so after Taylor Swift, the most famous pop star on the planet who also happens to be engaged to Kelce, gave an impromptu performance at one of its parties last summer.
—
Jourdan Rodrigue, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Officers were able to identify and track down the vehicle using Flock cameras, a license plate recognition system, the release stated.
—Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 25 Oct. 2025
Her empathy for the aliens deepens not from naïveté but from recognition.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 24 Oct. 2025
The system integrates visual recognition, and bionic intelligence to conduct its operations smoothly.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for recognition
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Jourdan Rodrigue, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Officers were able to identify and track down the vehicle using Flock cameras, a license plate recognition system, the release stated.
—Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 25 Oct. 2025
Her empathy for the aliens deepens not from naïveté but from recognition.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 24 Oct. 2025
The system integrates visual recognition, and bionic intelligence to conduct its operations smoothly.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for recognition
Cite this Entry
“Recognition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recognition. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
recognition
noun
rec·og·ni·tion
ˌrek-ig-ˈnish-ən
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
: 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
1
: the act, process, or fact of recognizing
2
: the state of being recognized
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