recognize
verb OPAL WOPAL S
/ˈrekəɡnaɪz/
/ˈrekəɡnaɪz/
(British English also recognise)
not used in the progressive tensesVerb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they recognize | /ˈrekəɡnaɪz/ /ˈrekəɡnaɪz/ |
| he / she / it recognizes | /ˈrekəɡnaɪzɪz/ /ˈrekəɡnaɪzɪz/ |
| past simple recognized | /ˈrekəɡnaɪzd/ /ˈrekəɡnaɪzd/ |
| past participle recognized | /ˈrekəɡnaɪzd/ /ˈrekəɡnaɪzd/ |
| past simple recognizing | /ˈrekəɡnaɪzɪŋ/ /ˈrekəɡnaɪzɪŋ/ |
| past participle recognizing | /ˈrekəɡnaɪzɪŋ/ /ˈrekəɡnaɪzɪŋ/ |
- to know who somebody is or what something is when you see or hear them or it, because you have seen or heard them or it before
- recognize somebody/something I recognized him as soon as he came in the room.
- Do you recognize this tune?
- You might not recognize the name but you'll know her face.
- I recognized the voice immediately.
- recognize somebody/something by something I recognized her by her red hair.
- recognize somebody/something from something I recognized him from the photo in the paper.
- recognize somebody/something as something He recognized the man as one of the police officers.
Synonyms identifyidentify- know
- recognize
- name
- make somebody/something out
- identify to be able to say who or what somebody/something is:
- She was able to identify her attacker.
- know to be able to say who or what something is when you see or hear it because you have seen or heard it before Know is used especially to talk about sounds that seem familiar and when somebody recognizes the quality or opportunity that somebody/something represents: I couldn’t see who was speaking, but I knew the voice. • She knows a bargain when she sees one.
- recognize to know who somebody is or what something is when you see or hear them/it, because you have seen or heard them/it before:
- I recognized him as soon as he came in the room.
- name to say the name of somebody/something in order to show that you know who/what they are:
- The victim has not yet been named.
- make somebody/something out to manage to see or hear somebody/something that is not very clear:
- I could just make out a figure in the darkness.
- to identify/know/recognize somebody/something by something
- to identify/recognize/name somebody/something as somebody/something
- to identify/know/recognize/make out who/what/how…
- to easily/barely/just identify/recognize/make out somebody/something
Extra Examples- I immediately recognized the building.
- I recognized them from a television show.
- I vaguely recognized his voice, but couldn't think of his name.
- She recognized the song correctly.
- Stella hardly recognized her brother.
- This is the only species of flamingo in the region, easily recognized by its pink plumage.
- You learn to recognize the calls of different birds.
- I recognized him by the way he walked.
- We barely recognized her—she had changed so much in ten years.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- immediately
- instantly
- correctly
- …
- learn to
- be easy to
- as
- by
- from
- …
- to admit or to be aware that something exists or is true synonym acknowledge
- recognize something They recognized the need to take the problem seriously.
- Most of us recognize the importance of diet.
- The government does recognize the value of the arts in this country.
- You must recognize the fact that the situation has changed.
- recognize something as something Drugs were not recognized as a problem then.
- recognize somebody/something to be/have something Drugs were not recognized to be a problem then.
- recognize how, what, etc… Nobody recognized how urgent the situation was.
- recognize that… We recognized that the task was not straightforward.
- it is recognized that… It is widely recognized that driver fatigue is a problem on motorways.
- It was recognized that this solution could only be temporary.
Synonyms admitadmit- acknowledge
- recognize
- concede
- confess
- admit to agree, often unwillingly, that something is true:
- It was a stupid thing to do, I admit.
- acknowledge (rather formal) to accept that something exists, is true or has happened:
- She refuses to acknowledge the need for reform.
- recognize to admit or be aware that something exists or is true:
- They recognized the need to take the problem seriously.
- concede (rather formal) to admit, often unwillingly, that something is true or logical:
- He was forced to concede (that) there might be difficulties.
- confess (rather formal) to admit something that you feel ashamed or embarrassed about; to admit, especially formally or to the police, that you have done something wrong or illegal:
- She was reluctant to confess her ignorance.
- He confessed to the murder.
- to admit/acknowledge/recognize/concede/confess that…
- to admit/confess to something
- to admit/concede/confess something to somebody
- to admit/acknowledge/recognize the truth
- to admit/confess your mistakes/ignorance
Extra Examples- The strength of this argument is being increasingly recognized.
- They fully recognize the need to proceed carefully.
- The government has belatedly recognized the danger to health of passive smoking.
- The company should publicly recognize its mistake.
- The company had been slow to recognize the opportunities available to it.
- This issue must be recognized as a priority for the next administration.
- It's important to recognize that obesity isn't necessarily caused by overeating.
- The law clearly recognizes that a company is separate from those who invest in it.
- He readily recognizes the influence of Freud on his thinking.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- clearly
- fully
- belatedly
- …
- must
- need to
- begin to
- …
- as
- be commonly recognized
- be generally recognized
- be universally recognized
- …
- to accept and approve of somebody/something officially
- recognize somebody/something The UK has refused to recognize the new regime.
- These qualifications are recognized throughout the EU.
- internationally recognized human rights
- The court explicitly recognized the group's right to exist.
- be recognized as somebody/something The organization has not been officially recognized as a trade union.
- Such crimes are recognized by international law as crimes against humanity.
- be recognized to be/have something He is recognized to be their natural leader.
Extra Examples- Criminal law implicitly recognizes a difference between animals and property.
- All rivers should be officially recognized as public rights of way.
- The qualifications are internationally recognized.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- clearly
- federally
- formally
- …
- agree to
- refuse to
- as
- be legally recognized
- a refusal to recognize something
- be recognized (as something)to be thought of as very good or important by people in general
- The book is now recognized as a classic.
- She's a recognized authority on the subject.
Extra Examples- The Medway estuary is recognized internationally as a conservation area.
- The 1970s are rightly recognized as a golden era of Hollywood film-making.
- recognize somebody/something to give somebody official thanks for something that they have done or achieved
- His services to the state were recognized with the award of a knighthood.
Word Originlate Middle English (earliest attested as a term in Scots law): from Old French reconniss-, stem of reconnaistre, from Latin recognoscere ‘know again, recall to mind’, from re- ‘again’ + cognoscere ‘learn’.