re
cog
nize
Third Person
recognizes
Present Participle
recognizing
Past Tense
recognized
Past Participle
recognized
1
to know who a person or what an object is, because we have heard, seen, etc. them before
transitive
- I immediately recognized her voice on the phone.
- He didn't recognize the old friend he hadn’t seen in years.
- The dog recognized its owner’s scent from a distance.
- She recognized the painting as a famous work by Monet.
- Even in the dark, he could recognize the shape of the building.
2
to acknowledge or accept someone or something as having a certain status or position
transitive
- The council officially recognized him as a member of the board.
- She was recognized as a leader in the community for her years of service.
- The school recognized him as a top performer after his academic achievements.
- They recognized her as a qualified expert in the field of environmental science.
- The company recognized him as an official partner in the business.
Synonyms:
3
to completely understand, acknowledge, or become aware of the existence, validity, or importance of something
transitive
- She quickly recognized the need for better communication within the team.
- The teacher recognized the student's potential and encouraged him to pursue advanced studies.
- It is important to recognize the signs of burnout and take action to address them.
- He finally recognized that his habits were impacting his health and decided to make changes.
- He didn't recognize the importance of financial planning until he faced a major expense.
4
to identify someone or something based on a distinguishing feature, like appearance or voice
transitive
- They recognized the landmark from their last trip.
- She recognized the building by its unique architecture.
- She recognized the scent of her grandmother's perfume as soon as she walked in.
- The detective recognized the suspect by the scar on his cheek.
- He recognized the dog by its unusual markings.
5
to officially express gratitude or appreciation of someone's deeds or achievements
transitive
- The school recognized her efforts by awarding her the Student of the Year title.
- The company recognized his dedication with a special award at the ceremony.
- The organization recognized the volunteers for their hard work during the event.
- He was recognized for his outstanding performance in the competition.
- They recognized the artist’s achievements by giving her a lifetime achievement award.
Synonyms:
6
to identify or greet someone you know, especially when you meet them unexpectedly
transitive
- He recognized the customer as soon as she entered the shop.
- He recognized his old friend with a quick wave when they bumped into each other on the street.
- She recognized the teacher at the market with a polite nod.
- I recognized my neighbor in the park and shouted, “Good to see you!”
- They recognized each other in the store and exchanged a handshake.
Synonyms:
7
to officially record a transaction as happening in a specific time frame
transitive
- The accountant recognized the sale as part of this quarter’s financial report.
- The accountant recognized the refund in the financial period during which it was processed.
- They recognized the transaction in their records as of the date of the deal.
- He recognized the payment as an expense for the third quarter.
- The auditor recognized the transaction as part of last year’s financial statement.
Synonyms:
8
to detect or respond to a specific substance, such as an antigen
transitive
- The immune system recognizes the virus by identifying its unique antigens.
- The antibody can recognize the specific protein on the surface of the pathogen.
- Certain receptors on the cell are able to recognize foreign substances.
- The enzyme recognizes the substrate and catalyzes the reaction.
- The body's antibodies immediately recognize and attack the invading bacteria.