# recognition

/ˌɹɛkəɡˈnɪʃən/ (US) · /ɹˌɛkəɡnˈɪʃən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/recognition
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. identifying someone or something

noun · CEFR B2

the act of knowing who someone is or what something is because you have seen them before.

For teachers: the cognitive process of identifying a person, place, or thing from previous encounters or knowledge.

- He changed so much over the years that he was almost beyond recognition.
- The witness provided a detailed description, but the passage of time had made positive recognition of the suspect difficult during the lineup.

### 2. praise and thanks

noun · CEFR B2

public praise or a reward for something good that you have done.

For teachers: formal acknowledgement or appreciation of a person's services, achievements, or abilities.

- She finally received the recognition she deserved for her years of voluntary work.
- The researcher gained international recognition after her breakthrough study was published in a prestigious medical journal.

### 3. acceptance of truth or status

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the act of accepting that something is true, legal, or official.

For teachers: the formal admission or acceptance of the validity, truth, or existence of something.

- The government's recognition of the new trade union was a huge victory for the workers.
- The diplomatic recognition of the breakaway territory remains a contentious issue among members of the international community.

### 4. technology/computing

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

the ability of a computer or machine to identify things like faces or voices.

For teachers: the automated identification of patterns, such as text, images, or sounds, by a computer system.

- Most modern smartphones use facial recognition to unlock the screen.
- The software uses advanced voice recognition to transcribe meetings in real time with high accuracy.

## Examples

- He smiled in recognition when he saw his old friend.
- The scientist finally received international recognition for her groundbreaking research after years of working in obscurity.
- The software uses advanced facial recognition to grant access to the building, though it occasionally struggles with changes in lighting or the presence of heavy shadows.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.