# recognize

/ˈɹɛkəɡˌnaɪz/ (US)

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

## Senses

### 1. to identify from memory

verb · CEFR A2

to know who someone is or what something is because you have seen or heard them before.

For teachers: to identify a person or thing from previous encounter or knowledge. Transitive — requires a direct object.

- I didn't recognize him at first because he had grown a beard.
- Even after twenty years apart, she could still recognize his distinctive laugh from across a crowded room.

### 2. to accept as valid

verb · CEFR B2 · Formal

to officially accept that something is real, true, or legal.

For teachers: to acknowledge the existence, validity, or legality of an entity or claim.

- The government does not recognize the new passports issued by that country.
- The international community was slow to recognize the sovereignty of the breakaway republic despite its established borders.

### 3. to show appreciation

verb · CEFR B1

to give someone praise or an award for the good work they have done.

For teachers: to show formal appreciation or provide public credit for an achievement or service.

- The company recognized her long service with a special gold watch.
- The charity gala was organized specifically to recognize the tireless efforts of the volunteers who worked through the crisis.

### 4. to realize a truth

verb · CEFR B1

to understand or notice a fact or a situation.

For teachers: to apprehend or realize the nature or quality of a situation or fact.

- They finally recognized that the old system was no longer working.
- Economists now recognize that the initial projections failed to account for the rapid shift in consumer behavior.

## Examples

- I didn't recognize you with your new haircut.
- Even after twenty years apart, she could still recognize her childhood friend's voice on the phone immediately.
- The software is designed to recognize patterns in consumer behavior that might otherwise go unnoticed by human analysts during the initial data review.

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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.