recognize

verb rec·og·nize \ ˈre-kig-ˌnīz , -kəg- \

Definition of recognize

recognized; recognizing

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

3 a :to perceive to be something or someone previously known

recognized the word

b :to perceive clearly :realize

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recognizability

play \ˌre-kig-ˌnī-zə-ˈbi-lə-tē, -kəg-\ noun

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recognizable

play \ˈre-kəg-ˌnī-zə-bəl, -kig-\ adjective

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recognizably

play \-blē\ adverb

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recognizer

noun

See recognize defined for English-language learners

See recognize defined for kids

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 of recognize from the Web

The White House played down the omission, saying White House staff members typically aren’t recognized in prepared remarks, only Cabinet members.

— Washington Post, "Trump pushes tax overhaul to ‘bring back Main Street’," 31 Aug. 2017
And while that may be true, members of the media should be more aware when reporting — in this case recognizing the obvious trauma that comes with losing your home and being stranded for days — before nudging for more information.

— christina coleman, Essence.com, "Harvey Survivor Who Criticized CNN Anchor Isn't Just 'Upset,' She's Traumatized And Exhausted," 30 Aug. 2017
The money from the Jennifer Lawrence Art Fund has been raised through the annual Awards in the Arts Gala at Churchill Downs to celebrate the arts and recognize local artists, arts groups and patrons.

— elizabeth kramer, The Courier-Journal, "Got an art project for Louisville? The city and Jennifer Lawrence Art Fund will help pay for it," 29 Aug. 2017
For years, he's blogged about his morning and afternoon drive time at mrbrandonsbus.blogspot.com, so some readers might recognize a few of the kids in these stories.

— susan swagler, AL.com, "Celebrated teacher writes book sharing stories from working as a bus driver," 29 Aug. 2017
Recognizing that his men would not be met with resistance, Washington soon left and Hamilton helped to lead the troops for two months.

— carrie hagen, Smithsonian, "The First Presidential Pardon Pitted Alexander Hamilton Against George Washington," 29 Aug. 2017
Students were instructed on how to maximize social media reach; how to recognize bias in the press and in textbooks; how to connect with reporters; and how to take good photos and video.

— randall p. lieberman, Jewish Journal, "South Florida high schoolers spreading pro-Israel message," 23 Aug. 2017
The movie bombed (though years later, it would be recognized as an eerily prescient classic), but everyone agreed that Lewis, playing the straight man for once, was masterful.

— gary susman, vanityfair.com, "Jerry Lewis, Comedic Force of Nature, Dies at 91," 20 Aug. 2017
Dix honored by RE/MAX Jacqueline Dix with RE/MAX Professionals Select in Naperville was recognized as one of the Midwest Top 50 RE/MAX brokers in the 2017 annual assessment by the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals.

— michelle mullins, Naperville Sun, "Naperville People in the News," 17 Aug. 2017

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.

Origin and Etymology of recognize

modification of Anglo-French reconois-, stem of reconoistre, from Latin recognoscere, from re- + cognoscere to know — more at cognition

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1537

See Words from the same year

recognize Synonyms

Synonyms

appreciate, apprehend, assimilate, behold, catch, catch on (to), cognize, compass, conceive, cotton (to or on to), decipher, decode, dig, discern, get, grasp, grok, intuit, know, make, make out, perceive, comprehend, register, savvy, see, seize, sense, tumble (to), twig, understand

Antonyms

miss

Related Words

absorb, digest, take in; realize; fathom, penetrate, pierce

Near Antonyms

misapprehend, misconceive, misconstrue, misinterpret, misperceive, misread, mistake, misunderstand

RECOGNIZE Defined for English Language Learners

recognize

verb

Definition of recognize for English Language Learners

: 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

RECOGNIZE Defined for Kids

recognize

verb rec·og·nize \ ˈre-kig-ˌnīz \

Definition of recognize for Students

recognized; recognizing

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.

Law Dictionary

recognize

transitive verb rec·og·nize

legal Definition of recognize

recognized; recognizing

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