recognize
verb/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/ |
| -ing form recognizing | /ˈrekəɡnaɪzɪŋ/ /ˈrekəɡnaɪzɪŋ/ |
- to know who somebody is or what something is when you see, hear or experience them/it, because you have seen, heard, etc. them/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 identifyidentifyknow ▪ name ▪ recognize ▪ make somebody/something outThese words all mean to be able to see or hear somebody/something and especially to be able to say who or what they are.identify- She was able to identify her attacker.
- I couldn’t see who was speaking, but I knew the voice.
- She knows a bargain when she sees one.
- The victim has not yet been named.
- I recognized him as soon as he came in the room.
- I could just make out a figure in the darkness.
- to identify/know/recognize somebody/something by something
- to identify/name/recognize 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 Lead in paint was recognized as a problem over 50 years ago.
- recognize somebody/something to be/have something Lead in paint was recognized to be a problem over 50 years ago.
- 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 admitadmitacknowledge ▪ recognize ▪ confess ▪ concedeThese words all mean to agree, often unwillingly, that something is true.admit- It was a stupid thing to do, I admit.
- She refuses to acknowledge the need for reform.
- They recognized the need to take the problem seriously.
- She was reluctant to confess her ignorance.
- He confessed to the murder.
- He was forced to concede (that) there might be difficulties.
- 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 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’.
Check pronunciation:
recognize