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recognize

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verb [transitive] [not usually progressive] American English pronunciation: recognize /ˈrekəɡˌnaɪz/ 
Word Forms
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present tense
I/you/we/theyrecognize
he/she/itrecognizes
present participlerecognizing
past tenserecognized
past participlerecognized
Other entries for this word

Related dictionary definitions

  1. 1
    to know who the person is or what the thing is that you are seeing, hearing, etc. because you have seen, heard, etc. them before

    I hardly recognized you with a beard!

    I recognized the house from your description.

    Asthma sufferers soon learn to recognize the symptoms of an attack.

    I thought I recognized her voice!

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of recognize
  2. 2
    to accept that something is true or important

    Most people who fish recognize the need to preserve fish stocks.

    The importance of Herschel's contribution is generally recognized.

    recognize (that):

    We recognize that there are some problems with the current system.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of recognize
    1. a.
      to accept the authority or status of someone or something

      This credit card is recognized all over the world.

      recognize someone/something as something:

      He is recognized as the new champion.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of recognize
    2. b.
      to officially agree that a country or organization exists

      Many countries refused to recognize Macedonia.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of recognize
  3. 3
    to give praise or approval to someone

    Joyce's novel has since been recognized as one of the greatest of the century.

    Today, her achievement was recognized with a civic reception.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of recognize

This is the American English definition of recognize. View British English definition of recognize.

Change your default dictionary and thesaurus to British English.

View the pronunciation for recognize.

 

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