verb

identify

eye-DEHN-tih-feye

verb

To work out or state exactly who or what someone or something is.

"Witnesses helped police identify the getaway car."

"Can you identify the bird species in this photo?"

To feel a strong connection with, or see yourself reflected in, a person or group.

"Many readers identify with the novel's awkward teenage narrator."

To describe oneself as belonging to a particular group or category.

"She identifies as an independent rather than a party member."

How to Use Identify

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo recognize and name something precisely, or to feel a close personal connection to it.

Common pairings

identify with identify as identify the problem

identified past tense, identifies singular

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Can you complete this real example?

Witnesses helped police _____ the getaway car.

From French identifier, built on Latin idem ("the same") and facere ("to make").

ID clock ken to make someone notice recognize twig

misken

clock ID twig see look attention stick knowledge

unify verify pacify notify purify modify qualify amplify crucify specify falsify certify

ID clock ken to make someone notice recognize twig misken see look attention stick