recognized
recognized — adjective
- recognizedpositive
- more recognizedcomparative
- most recognizedsuperlative
1. generally accepted by many people as having a particular position, quality, or l
generally accepted by many people as having a particular position, quality, or level of skill
Professor Amihan is a recognized authority on renewable energy systems.
collocation: recognized authority
The school has a recognized program for training young musicians.
Dr. Amara Osei built a recognized reputation as a top surgeon in the country.
Diabetes is a recognized risk factor for heart disease worldwide.
The festival became a recognized event on the international arts calendar.
- established
emphasises long-term stability rather than general acceptance
- acknowledged
more formal, often used for achievements or authority
- accepted
focuses on broad agreement without necessarily implying admiration
- unrecognized
not acknowledged or accepted by others
- unknown
not familiar to the public
用法筆記
Typically appears before a noun, modifying a role, status, or field in which someone or something is known and trusted.
常見錯誤
recognized — verb
- recognizedpresent simple I / you / we / they
- recognizeds3rd person singular
- recognizeding-ing form
- recognizededpast simple
1. to know and remember a person, thing, or place because you have seen, heard, or
to know and remember a person, thing, or place because you have seen, heard, or experienced them before
Ilan recognized his classmate from the photo on the school website.
recognize + direct object + from [context]
The hotel doorman recognized Ms. Yumi Kobayashi as soon as she walked in.
recognize + [person] + as
Darius could not recognize the street because so many new shops had opened.
Do you recognize this song? It was playing on the radio last summer.
The bird-watcher recognized the call of a rare kingfisher immediately.
文法句型
recognize + noun phrase
recognize + noun phrase + as + noun phrase (optional)
用法筆記
Commonly used with the preposition 'by' or 'from' to show what clue helped with identification (e.g., 'recognize someone by their voice').
常見錯誤
2. to accept and admit that something is true or that a situation exists — for exam
to accept and admit that something is true or that a situation exists — for example, recognizing that a problem is serious or that a mistake was made
Ines finally recognized that she needed help with her maths homework.
recognize + that-clause
The government recognized the urgent need for clean drinking water in rural areas.
recognize + noun phrase (need / problem / fact)
Eric recognized his mistake and apologized to the whole team immediately.
Most scientists now recognize that climate change is happening faster than predicted.
Ada did not recognize how dangerous the situation was until it was almost too late.
- acknowledge
very close in meaning; slightly more formal and often used for admitting fault
- admit
implies reluctance or conceding something negative
- accept
broader — can simply mean to believe without the element of prior denial
文法句型
recognize + that-clause
recognize + noun phrase
用法筆記
Unlike 'admit', which carries a sense of reluctance or guilt, 'recognize' is more neutral and can be used for straightforward acceptance of facts without emotional weight.
常見錯誤
❌ 'I don't recognize the importance of this rule.' — This sentence is ambiguous. Use 'I don't understand the importance' if you mean you cannot grasp it. 'Recognize' here means you accept that it exists.
3. to officially accept that a person, organization, country, or achievement has a
to officially accept that a person, organization, country, or achievement has a particular status, authority, or right
The United Nations recognized South Sudan as an independent nation in 2011.
recognize + [entity] + as + [status]
Folake was recognized by the Ministry of Education as a qualified teacher.
passive: be recognized by [authority] as [role]
Many countries do not recognize dual citizenship, so travelers must check the rules carefully.
The university recognized Diego's previous qualifications and gave him credit for two courses.
Sirin's professional certification is recognized in over thirty countries around the world.
- reject
refuse to accept a claim or status
- deny recognition
refuse to grant official status
文法句型
be recognized as + noun phrase
recognize + noun phrase + as + noun phrase
用法筆記
Frequently used in the passive voice with 'as' to describe official roles, titles, or credentials. The subject is typically a government body, institution, or professional organization.
常見錯誤
4. to show public gratitude, praise, or attention for someone's hard work, talent,
to show public gratitude, praise, or attention for someone's hard work, talent, or achievements
Megan was recognized for her volunteer work at the local animal shelter.
passive: be recognized for [achievement]
The company recognized its top sales team with a trip to Hawaii.
recognize + [person/team] + with [reward]
Every year the foundation recognizes teachers who make a difference in their communities.
Yael felt proud when the mayor recognized her efforts to clean up the park.
The film was recognized at several international festivals before it reached cinemas.
- appreciate
more internal — you feel gratitude rather than expressing it publicly
- honour
implies a more prestigious or ceremonial act of recognition
- praise
more informal and verbal; can be a simple compliment
- ignore
deliberately not notice or reward someone's work
文法句型
be recognized for + noun phrase
recognize + noun phrase + for + noun phrase
用法筆記
Unlike 'praise', which can be informal and personal, 'recognize' in this sense implies a formal or public act of appreciation, often by an organization or authority figure.
常見錯誤
❌ 'She received the award but nobody recognized her in the street.' — These are two different senses of 'recognize'. The first (appreciation) and the second (identify) should not be confused.
5. to show that you know someone by greeting them or responding to their presence,
to show that you know someone by greeting them or responding to their presence, often with a nod, a wave, or a spoken hello
Priya walked past the cafe and nodded to recognize the owner at the counter.
non-verbal acknowledgment: nod to recognize
At the conference, Alessia recognized several colleagues from previous events and waved hello.
wave to recognize + from [context]
Rosa saw her neighbour across the street and waved to recognize her before crossing.
The librarian smiled to recognize the regular visitor who came in every Tuesday morning.
- greet
more active — you say hello or perform a greeting ritual
- acknowledge
more formal; can include a simple nod without speaking
- ignore
pretend not to see someone on purpose
文法句型
recognize + noun phrase
用法筆記
emphasises the social response — showing you have noticed someone through a nod, wave, or spoken greeting.
常見錯誤
❌ 'I recognized her but I didn't greet her.' — This is a correct sentence but mixes the two meanings: you identified her (sense 1) but did not acknowledge her socially (sense 5).
6. to record a financial item, such as income, expenses, assets, or liabilities, in
to record a financial item, such as income, expenses, assets, or liabilities, in a company's accounts according to accounting rules
The company must recognize the full cost of the equipment in this financial quarter.
recognize a cost / an expense
Revenue from the new contract will be recognized over three years under accounting standards.
passive: revenue / income / loss is recognized
Accountants must recognize any expected losses as soon as they become likely.
If the payment has not been received yet, the business cannot recognize it as income.
- write off
remove an asset or debt from the accounts
文法句型
recognize + noun phrase
用法筆記
This is a technical term in accounting and finance. Outside of professional contexts, 'record' or 'report' is more appropriate.