recognize

verb

rec·og·nize | \ ˈre-kig-ˌnīz

, -kəg-\

recognized; recognizing

Definition of recognize

transitive verb

1 : to acknowledge formally: such as

a : to admit as being lord or sovereign

b : to admit as being of a particular status

c : to admit as being one entitled to be heard : give the floor to

d : to acknowledge the de facto existence or the independence of

2 : to acknowledge or take notice of in some definite way: such as

a : to acknowledge with a show of appreciation recognize an act of bravery with the award of a medal

b : to acknowledge acquaintance with recognize a neighbor with a nod

3a : to perceive to be something or someone previously known recognized the word

b : to perceive clearly : realize

Other Words from recognize Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about recognize

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Other Words from recognize

recognizability \ ˌre-kig-ˌnī-zə-ˈbi-lə-tē

, -kəg- \ noun

recognizable \ ˈre-kəg-ˌnī-zə-bəl

, -kig- \ adjective

recognizably \ ˈre-kəg-ˌnī-zə-blē

, -kig- \ adverb

recognizer noun

Examples of recognize in a Sentence

I didn't recognize you at first with your new haircut. I can always recognize him from far away by the way he walks. They recognized the odor at once. The U.S. government has now recognized the newly formed country. They refused to recognize the treaty.

Recent Examples on the Web

But what about the little construction details in your bra that make all the difference, or recognizing the telltale signs of when your band has been overworn? — Glamour, "6 Tips for Bra Shopping When You Have Big Boobs," 3 Apr. 2019 Though not everyone recognizes Dexter from his previous brush with fame, his recent Blind Audition wasn't his first foray back into music since his illness. — Kelly O'sullivan, Country Living, "Why 'The Voice' Contestant Dexter Roberts's Past Is Causing Controversy," 11 Mar. 2019 They are generally set up between countries that don’t formally recognize each other and have tense relations but require some form of working contact. — Eric Talmadge, The Seattle Times, "Swedes keep room ready for US diplomats in Pyongyang," 25 Mar. 2019 Steve Rodgers would probably recognize and appreciate something that seems familiar: These trainees are here to learn how to operate their bodies like machines, but the choice to accept that discipline is theirs alone. — Joe Pappalardo, Popular Mechanics, "What Happened When I Trained With Air Force Human Performance Specialists," 12 Feb. 2019 Intel has always recognized that data fuels the processors that are the engines of its own growth. — Mark Hachman, PCWorld, "Intel makes Bob Swan its permanent CEO, maintaining a slow, steady course away from the PC," 31 Jan. 2019 What's so healing about that is recognizing how many other people were on top of the mountain with us. — James Lynch, Popular Mechanics, "When War Veterans Return to Iraq—This Time to Go Skiing," 29 Nov. 2018 Even cruise enthusiasts recognize how limiting the onboard activities are. — Aditi Shrikant, Vox, "The case against cruises," 15 Nov. 2018 Part of me was recognizing that there was a line that had been given and that this guy was repeating. — Eric Johnson, Recode, "Google’s former PR boss Jessica Powell wrote a satirical novel about tech and published it all on Medium," 2 Oct. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'recognize.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

13 Apr 2019

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Time Traveler for recognize

The first known use of recognize was in 1537

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More Definitions for recognize

recognize

verb

English Language Learners Definition of recognize

: to know and remember (someone or something) because of previous knowledge or experience

: to accept or be aware that (something) is true or exists

: to accept and approve of (something) as having legal or official authority

See the full definition for recognize in the English Language Learners Dictionary

recognize

verb

rec·og·nize | \ ˈre-kig-ˌnīz

recognized; recognizing

Kids Definition of recognize

1 : to know and remember upon seeing I recognized an old friend.

2 : to be willing to accept I recognized my own faults.

3 : to take approving notice of They recognized his bravery with a medal.

recognize

transitive verb

rec·og·nize

recognized; recognizing

Legal Definition of recognize

1 : to acknowledge formally: as

a : to admit as being of a particular status recognize a precedent recognize a union specifically : to acknowledge (as a right, cause of action, or defense) as valid

b : to admit as being one entitled to be heard : give the floor to

c : to acknowledge the de facto existence or the independence of refused to recognize the new government

2 : to account for as real, received, or incurred and treat and record appropriately specifically : to account for (a gain, loss, expense, or income) on current accounting or tax records recognized the gain when she included it as income on her tax return — compare realize