What does "recognize" mean?
To match (something or someone which one currently perceives) to a memory of some previous encounter with the same person or thing.
Recognize
/ˈɹɛk.əɡ.naɪz/ verb
verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To match (something or someone which one currently perceives) to a memory of some previous encounter with the same person or thing.
- Grammar: recognize is listed as verb.
- Nearest alternatives: acknowledge, realize, spot, accept.
- Useful contrasts: unappreciated, not notice, blackballing.
- Usage evidence: I wonder if she will recognize me after all those years.
How to use "recognize"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "recognize" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "recognize" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "recognize" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "recognize" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "recognize" is acting as verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "acknowledge" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "recognize", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To match (something or someone which one currently perceives) to a memory of some previous encounter with the same person or thing. British, English, Oxford, US, transitive
"I recognized his face immediately, although his voice was different."
- 2 to cognize again British, English, North-American, Oxford, UK, US
- 3 accept (someone) to be what is claimed or accept their power and authority wordnet
- 4 To acknowledge the existence or legality of; to treat as valid or worthy of consideration. British, English, Oxford, US, transitive
"The US and a number of EU countries are expected to recognize Kosovo on Monday."
- 5 perceive to be the same wordnet
Show 13 more definitions
- 6 To acknowledge or consider (as being a certain thing or having a certain quality or property). British, English, Oxford, US, transitive
"Slavery is widely recognized as immoral."
- 7 be fully aware or cognizant of wordnet
- 8 To realize or discover the nature of something; apprehend quality in. British, English, Oxford, US, transitive
"In plants, the ability to recognize self from nonself plays an important role in fertilization, because self-fertilization will result in less diverse offspring than fertilization with pollen from another individual."
- 9 express obligation, thanks, or gratitude for wordnet
- 10 To show formal appreciation of, as with an award, commendation etc. British, English, Oxford, US, transitive
"His services were recognized in a testimonial."
- 11 express greetings upon meeting someone wordnet
- 12 To review; to examine again. British, English, Oxford, US, obsolete
"We do moste humbly submytte it [this treatise] to[…]your maiestie, to be recognised, ouersene, and corrected."
- 13 detect with the senses wordnet
- 14 To reconnoiter. British, English, Oxford, US, obsolete
"before the siege was layd to the Towne, of minde to recognize, he fell unawares amongst an Ambushcade"
- 15 grant credentials to wordnet
- 16 To have the property to bind to specific antigens. British, English, Oxford, US
- 17 show approval or appreciation of wordnet
- 18 exhibit recognition for (an antigen or a substrate) wordnet
Antonyms
Example
"I wonder if she will recognize me after all those years."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "recognize"?
Common synonyms include: acknowledge, realize, spot, accept, accredit, accredits.
How do you use "recognize" in a sentence?
I wonder if she will recognize me after all those years.
How do you pronounce "recognize"?
Pronounced /ˈɹɛk.əɡ.naɪz/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Borrowed from Middle French reconoistre, from Old French reconoistre, from Latin recognoscere, first attested in the 16th century. Displaced native English acknow (“to recognize, perceive as”), compare German erkennen and Swedish erkänna. Latin had rare recognizare (“to try by jury”).
Etymology 2
From re- + cognize.