Meaning & use
recognition
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountable
The act of knowing who or what someone or something is because you have seen or known them before.
Grammar: Uncountable: a flash of recognition.
Patterns
- recognition of someone
- a flicker of recognition
There was no sign of recognition on his face when I said my name.
She gave a flash of recognition when she saw the old photo.
The software uses face recognition to unlock the phone.
noununcountable
Public praise or credit given to someone for their achievements or work.
Grammar: Often followed by for: recognition for her work.
Patterns
- recognition for something
- in recognition of something
The nurse received national recognition for her bravery.
He got little recognition for his years of volunteering.
The prize is given in recognition of lifelong service.
noununcountableformal
Official acceptance that something exists, is valid or has legal standing.
Grammar: Used for governments and organizations: diplomatic recognition.
Patterns
- recognition of something
- recognition as something
The country sought international recognition as an independent state.
The union won formal recognition from the company.
The degree has no recognition abroad.
noununcountablecomputing
The process by which a system identifies patterns, such as speech or handwriting.
Grammar: Often used as a modifier: speech recognition.
Patterns
- speech recognition
- pattern recognition
Speech recognition has improved so much that dictation is easy.
The scanner uses character recognition to turn paper into text.
Common combinations
- gain recognition
- The young designer gained recognition for her bold style.
- in recognition of
- A plaque was added in recognition of their service.
- facial recognition
- The airport uses facial recognition at passport control.
- beyond recognition
- The old neighborhood has changed beyond recognition.
- widespread recognition
- The research received widespread recognition.
- flicker of recognition
- A flicker of recognition crossed his face.
Synonyms and how they differ
- identification
- Identification suggests a deliberate act of naming or proving who someone is, while recognition can be instant and automatic.
- acknowledgment
- Acknowledgment means admitting or accepting something exists, while recognition adds praise in the credit sense.
- credit
- Credit is the everyday word for thanks given for work, whereas recognition has a more formal, public tone.
- acclaim
- Acclaim is stronger and means enthusiastic public praise, while recognition can be modest.
Opposites
Word family
- recognize verb
- to know someone or something from before, or to give credit
- recognizable adjective
- easy to identify
- unrecognizable adjective
- so changed that it cannot be identified
- recognized adjective
- widely accepted or known
Commonly confused: recognition or cognition? recognition or realization?
recognition vs cognition
Cognition is the mental process of thinking and knowing, whereas recognition is knowing something again or praising it.
recognition vs realization
Realization is suddenly understanding something, while recognition is identifying or crediting something known.
Practice
The volunteers received public ___ for their work during the flood.
Choose one answer.
Recognition for work means public credit. Reduction, recreation and reflection have different meanings and do not combine with for their work.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “recognition”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.