recognize

verb
UK: /ˈrekəɡnaɪz/
US: /ˈrekəɡnaɪz/

  1. To know someone or something because you have seen or experienced them before.

    1. I recognize your face, but I don't recall your name. [ ] [ ]
    2. I can easily recognize her voice, even among hundreds of others. [ ] [ ]

  2. To acknowledge the existence, validity, or legality of something.

    1. The country refused to recognize the new government. [ ] [ ]
    2. The company must recognize the importance of employee well-being to improve retention. [ ] [ ]

  3. To show appreciation or approval of someone or something.

    1. The school will recognize students for their achievements. [ ] [ ]
    2. The organization held an awards dinner to recognize the volunteers' dedication and effort. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

know accept identify acknowledge realize appreciate
recognize transitive-verb

  1. To have a general awareness of something

    1. I recognize that things need to change. [ ] [ ]
    2. They recognize the need for more funding, but resources are very limited. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "recognize" in English means: To know someone or something because you have seen or experienced them before., To acknowledge the existence, validity, or legality of something., To show appreciation or approval of someone or something..

The phonetic transcription of "recognize" is /ˈrekəɡnaɪz/ in British English and /ˈrekəɡnaɪz/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "recognize": know, accept, identify, acknowledge, realize, appreciate.

Example usage of "recognize": "I recognize your face, but I don't recall your name.". More examples on the page.