identify
Frequently Asked Questions
- recognize—to be able to tell what something is (and often to know its name), as in He immediately identified/recognized it as a monarch butterfly.
- diagnose or pinpoint, as in My mechanic was finally able to identify/diagnose/pinpoint the problem.
- associate, such as with a certain group or belief, as in She’s known for identifying/associating with the party’s reform wing.
- distinguish, as in Her height identified/distinguished her as the volleyball player.
- establish (who someone is), as in He has been identified/established as the main suspect. Relatedly, to identify someone is to figure out who they are—to establish their identity.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have identified a previously unknown system inside cells that acts like internal "trade winds," rapidly carrying important proteins to the front edge of the cell.
From Science Daily
And the yelling families will deeply identify with this, and the non-yelling families, it might take a minute to understand.
From Los Angeles Times
Many autistic people also have alexithymia, a trait that makes it exceptionally difficult to identify and describe emotions, and have been stymied by questions intended to assess their internal state.
From Los Angeles Times
The department received additional penalties for improperly documenting training, failing to identify and evaluate the hazards of transporting and storing the ordnance, and leaving explosives unattended.
From Los Angeles Times
The plant-based protein company delayed its earnings report at least twice in March, saying it identified errors in previously issued financial statements.
From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
