recognition
noun
rec·og·ni·tion
ˌre-kig-ˈni-shən 
-kəg-
1
: the action of recognizing : the state of being recognized: such as
a
: acknowledgment
especially
: formal acknowledgment of the political existence of a government or nation
b
: knowledge or feeling that someone or something present has been encountered before
2
: special notice or attention
3
: the sensing and encoding of printed or written data by a machine
optical character recognition
magnetic ink character recognition
Examples of recognition in a Sentence
The procedure is gaining recognition as the latest advance in organ transplant surgery.
The Olympic Committee gave official recognition to the sport.
His smile was a recognition that things were not so bad.
Her paintings received recognition from her fellow artists.
All she wanted was some recognition for her work.
He finally received the recognition that he deserved.
They were awarded medals in recognition of their bravery.
Recent Examples on the Web
When her mother and grandmother discover her work, their initial shock turns to recognition of its literary merit.
—
Leo Barraclough, Variety, 26 Mar. 2025
For the second year in a row, Times Staff Photographer Robert Gauthier was named Photographer of the Year in recognition of his portfolio of work.
—Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2025
Members of the national side, as quoted in a report published by the Sport & Rights Alliance (SRA) on Tuesday, have spoken of their ongoing struggle to receive recognition from world football’s governing body to compete in official matches.
—Colin Millar, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
This significant investment indicates widespread recognition of the importance of digital transformation across industries.
—Victoria Chynoweth, Rolling Stone, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for recognition
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Leo Barraclough, Variety, 26 Mar. 2025
For the second year in a row, Times Staff Photographer Robert Gauthier was named Photographer of the Year in recognition of his portfolio of work.
—Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2025
Members of the national side, as quoted in a report published by the Sport & Rights Alliance (SRA) on Tuesday, have spoken of their ongoing struggle to receive recognition from world football’s governing body to compete in official matches.
—Colin Millar, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
This significant investment indicates widespread recognition of the importance of digital transformation across industries.
—Victoria Chynoweth, Rolling Stone, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for recognition
Cite this Entry
“Recognition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recognition. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
recognition
noun
rec·og·ni·tion
ˌrek-ig-ˈnish-ən
ˌrek-əg-
1
: the act of recognizing
2
: acknowledgment of something done or given
got a medal in recognition of bravery
3
: formal acknowledgment of the political existence of a government or nation
4
: special attention or notice
Medical Definition
recognition
noun
rec·og·ni·tion
ˌrek-əg-ˈnish-ən
: the form of memory that consists in knowing or feeling that a present object has been met before
Legal Definition
recognition
noun
rec·og·ni·tion
ˌre-kəg-ˈni-shən
1
: the act, process, or fact of recognizing
2
: the state of being recognized
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share