as in distinguishing
serving to identify as belonging to an individual or group
the marching band's striking black-and-silver uniforms serve as its identifying mark for thousands of parade spectators
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in pinpointing
to find out or establish the identity of
sufficient forensic evidence to allow investigators to identify the perpetrator
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in associating
to think of (something) in combination
for some reason, he always identified the color red with flowers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of identifying
Scott MacFarlane, CBS News, 18 Dec. 2025
Another intriguing possibility is to wait until the wireless world’s progress to ever-shorter wavelengths finally hits the millimeter band, which is small enough to resolve most identifying details.
—IEEE Spectrum, 16 Jan. 2020
Munir Ahmed, Arkansas Online, 8 Feb. 2026
The mistake people outside the fungi community or beginners make when identifying mushrooms is solely relying on social media, a field guide or an app like iNaturalist, said Bob Cummings, a leading mycology expert in Santa Barbara.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2026
Plan your garden indoors by reviewing photos and identifying gaps to improve this year’s design.
—Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 8 Feb. 2026
Local communities are encouraged to assist in identifying and preserving these sites, as their involvement will aid archaeologists in safeguarding this piece of Irish history and illuminating the lives of a demographic that deserves to be remembered, as emphasized in the press release.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 8 Feb. 2026
They also must be given credit for identifying Maye’s talent and not taking any available trades for the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 8 Feb. 2026
Trunk Bay's Underwater Snorkel Trail is a 650-foot-long sea trail complete with underwater plaques identifying the corals, plants, fish, and turtles that inhabit these crystalline waters for the most informative swim of your life.
—Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2026
And expect to participate as a student of Spanish, identifying objects and colors as if in a beginner’s class.
—Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 1 Feb. 2026
The Larimer County coroner will be responsible for identifying the driver after the family has been notified and an autopsy has been conducted, per the Denver Gazette.
—Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
There are also passports from Lithuania, Ukraine, the Czech Republic and Russia, with most identifying information blacked out.
—Scott MacFarlane, CBS News, 18 Dec. 2025
Another intriguing possibility is to wait until the wireless world’s progress to ever-shorter wavelengths finally hits the millimeter band, which is small enough to resolve most identifying details.
—IEEE Spectrum, 16 Jan. 2020
Verb
The announcement by Mohsin Naqvi came a day after a regional affiliate of the Islamic State group, identifying itself as Islamic State in Pakistan, claimed responsibility in a statement carried by its Amaq News Agency.
—Munir Ahmed, Arkansas Online, 8 Feb. 2026
The mistake people outside the fungi community or beginners make when identifying mushrooms is solely relying on social media, a field guide or an app like iNaturalist, said Bob Cummings, a leading mycology expert in Santa Barbara.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2026
Plan your garden indoors by reviewing photos and identifying gaps to improve this year’s design.
—Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 8 Feb. 2026
Local communities are encouraged to assist in identifying and preserving these sites, as their involvement will aid archaeologists in safeguarding this piece of Irish history and illuminating the lives of a demographic that deserves to be remembered, as emphasized in the press release.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 8 Feb. 2026
They also must be given credit for identifying Maye’s talent and not taking any available trades for the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 8 Feb. 2026
Trunk Bay's Underwater Snorkel Trail is a 650-foot-long sea trail complete with underwater plaques identifying the corals, plants, fish, and turtles that inhabit these crystalline waters for the most informative swim of your life.
—Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2026
And expect to participate as a student of Spanish, identifying objects and colors as if in a beginner’s class.
—Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 1 Feb. 2026
The Larimer County coroner will be responsible for identifying the driver after the family has been notified and an autopsy has been conducted, per the Denver Gazette.
—Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 1 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for identifying
Verb
-
Protective planning as a long-term discipline Perhaps the most distinguishing feature of future-proof asset protection is timing.—
Malana VanTyler,
USA Today,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Season 2 explores where this chaos comes from, and the difficulty in distinguishing the sheriff from the outlaw.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
This rhetoric is employed to justify the state taking life, by associating the dead with national villainy.—
Ta-Nehisi Coates,
Vanity Fair,
26 Jan. 2026
-
This result is likely because of stereotypes associating Asian American students with higher GPAs and Black students with lower GPAs.—
Kenji Yoshino,
Mercury News,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Thousands of cycles generate histograms showing the characteristic conductance of individual molecules.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
31 Jan. 2026
-
As of winter 2026/27, the French line will have two ships based there, with explorer-class vessel Le Jacques Cartier joining M/S Paul Gaugin, a ship that was purpose-built to cruise the shallow lagoons so characteristic of the region.—
Chrissie McClatchie,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Paying attention to leaf discoloration, pinpointing the problem, and taking rapid action can help restore your ficus to a flourishing state.—
Gemma Johnstone,
The Spruce,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Unless a slang term emerges from a popular movie, pinpointing an exact date of birth is difficult (hence the question marks on the tombstone).—
Michael Tedder,
The Atlantic,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
By correlating this economic power with global viewership trends, NNAF will validate the thesis that African content is not just culturally significant, but a commercially viable sector ready for institutional scale.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
4 Feb. 2026
-
These digital twins operate as autonomous agents capable of validating issues, correlating signals, applying fixes and escalating to humans only when needed, compressing resolution times while improving service quality.—
Peter High,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Seekers of Infinite Love balances big laughs with big feelings, and the cast delivers in a way that makes the film both distinctive and relatable.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Cort later reemerged as a distinctive supporting presence in film and television.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
All these offers expire on February 23, so get to finding your ideal bed partner today.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Beyond finding the origin of the lipstick vine species, Ree said the study emphasizes the importance of scientific fieldwork and observing ecological interactions.—
Taylor Nicioli,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The program will focus on career exploration and work-based learning for students across three school districts, connecting classrooms with local employers.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Very social by nature, Marie enjoys connecting with others and forms strong bonds with both peers and adults when a genuine connection is made.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Identifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/identifying. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
