Meaning

9 senses

  1. (British, English, Oxford, US, transitive)To match (something or someone which one currently perceives) to a memory of some previous encounter with the same person or thing.

    I recognized his face immediately, although his voice was different.

    erkennen

    узнава́тьuznavátʹ, узна́тьuznátʹ, опознава́тьopoznavátʹ

    впізнава́тиvpiznaváty, впізна́тиvpiznáty, розпізнава́тиrozpiznaváty

  2. (British, English, Oxford, US, transitive)To acknowledge the existence or legality of; to treat as valid or worthy of consideration.

    The US and a number of EU countries are expected to recognize Kosovo on Monday.

    anerkennen

    признава́тьpriznavátʹ, призна́тьpriznátʹ, признава́тьpriznavátʹ

    визнава́тиvyznaváty, ви́знатиvýznaty, визнава́тиvyznaváty

  3. (British, English, Oxford, US, transitive)To acknowledge or consider (as being a certain thing or having a certain quality or property).

    Slavery is widely recognized as immoral.

    I recognize that my behaviour has been unacceptable.

  4. (British, English, Oxford, US, transitive)To realize or discover the nature of something; apprehend quality in.

    осознава́тьosoznavátʹ, осозна́тьosoznátʹ, постига́тьpostigátʹ

  5. (British, English, Oxford, US, transitive)To show formal appreciation of, as with an award, commendation etc.

    His services were recognized in a testimonial.

    The soldier was recognized in dispatches.

    show approval or appreciation of

  6. (British, English, Oxford, US)To have the property to bind to specific antigens.

  7. (British, English, North American, Oxford, UK, US)To cognize again

  8. (British, English, Oxford, US, obsolete)To review; to examine again.

  9. (British, English, Oxford, US, obsolete)To reconnoiter.

Examples

1327 sentences

  1. I recognized your voice right away.

    Я відразу впізнав твій голос. — deniko

    ruЯ сразу узнал твой голос. — katjka

    deIch habe Ihre Stimme sofort erkannt. — raggione

    CK · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · B1Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  2. She didn't appear to recognize me.

    Вона мене, здається, не впізнала. — deniko

    ruКажется, она не узнала меня. — naXa

    deSie schien mich nicht wiederzuerkennen. — al_ex_an_der

    CK · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · B1Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  3. I'm sorry, I didn't recognize you.

    Перепрошую, я тебе не впізнав. — deniko

    ruПрости, я тебя не узнал. — marafon

    CK · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · B1Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  4. Tom didn't recognize the truck driver.

    Том не впізнав водія вантажівки. — deniko

    ruТом не узнал водителя грузовика. — marafon

    CK · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · B1Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  5. Tom didn't recognize Mary right away.

    Том не відразу впізнав Мері. — deniko

    CK · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · B1Open on TatoebaReport a problem

Translations

9 languages
Українська
By meaning 2
to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter:
to acknowledge the existence or legality of:
Русский
By meaning 3
to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter:
to acknowledge the existence or legality of:
to realize or discover the nature of something:
Deutsch
By meaning 2
to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter:
to acknowledge the existence or legality of:

Origin

Borrowed from Middle French reconoistre, from Old French reconoistre, from Latin recognosc

Borrowed from Middle French reconoistre, from Old French reconoistre, from Latin recognoscere, first attested in the 16th century. Displaced native English acknow (“to recognize, perceive as”), compare German erkennen and Swedish erkänna. Latin had rare recognizare (“to try by jury”).

Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Forms

recognizes, recognizing, recognized, recognized
Base formrecognize · to recognize
3rd person singularrecognizes
Present participlerecognizing
Past simplerecognized
Past participlerecognized

regular · Lesson

Present simpleLesson

I, you, we, theyrecognize
he, she, itrecognizes

Past simpleLesson

all personsrecognized

Present perfectLesson

I, you, we, theyhave recognized
he, she, ithas recognized

Future simple (will)Lesson

all personswill recognize

Synonyms

16 synonyms
placeB1
Close in meaning
  • perceive to be the same:recognise
  • be fully aware or cognizant of:recogniserealizerealiseagnizeagnise
  • show approval or appreciation of:recognise
  • accept (someone) to be what is claimed or accept their power and authority:acknowledgerecogniseknow
  • express obligation, thanks, or gratitude for:acknowledgerecognise
  • express greetings upon meeting someone:greetrecognise

Word family

21 related words
RelatedacknowledgeB1recognitionB2reconnaissance
DerivedrecognizableC1recognizablyC1allorecognizederecognizeimmunorecognizemisrecognizerecogninrecognizabilityrecognizancerecognizantrecognizationrecognizeerecognizerrecognizinglyrecognizorunderrecognizeunrecognizableunrecognize

Lessons for this word

3 lessons

Collocations

12 patterns
  • recognized each other
  • recognize any of
  • seem to recognize
  • recognized each
  • recognize that guy
  • immediately recognized
  • recognize that woman
  • recognize any
  • didn't recognize the
  • didn't even recognize
  • recognize the sound
  • recognize the person

See also

neighbours in the dictionary
reclusiveC2recognisableC1recognitionB2recognizableC1recoilrecollectB2recollectionB2

Dictionary text adapted from Wiktionary (Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet / Princeton WordNet (CC BY 4.0, WordNet License); shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Example sentences and recordings are credited where they appear.

recognize — meaning, examples, forms, synonyms | Krumeto