identify

identify — verb

1. to know and say who a person is or what something is, based on what you see, hea

1.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to know and say who a person is or what something is, based on what you see, hear, or already know about them

Example

The police officer asked the witness to identify the man she saw leave the shop.

identify + person as the object of recognition

Christopher immediately identified the bird from the picture in the field guide.

Common collocations
  • identify the body
  • identify a suspect
  • identify a species
  • identify a voice
Synonyms
  • recognize

    broader — you can recognize someone without naming them; identifying requires naming or specifying

  • name

    more direct — naming is one way of identifying

  • pinpoint

    more precise — suggests exact location or detail

Antonyms
  • confuse

    to mistake one person or thing for another

Grammar Patterns

identify + object

identify + object + as + noun

Usage Note

Frequently used with can / could to describe ability: 'I can identify him by his voice.'

Common Mistakes

I identified the song — it sounds like jazz.' (when the genre was guessed, not the name).
I identified the song
it was called Midnight Blue.' — identify means you can name or specify, not just guess a quality.

2. to find and point out something that exists but was not yet known, such as a dif

2.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to find and point out something that exists but was not yet known, such as a difficulty, a shortage, or an important detail

Example

The teacher identified a spelling problem in several of the students' essays.

identify + problem / issue / need

Researchers have identified a strong link between sleep and memory.

Common collocations
  • identify a problem
  • identify a need
  • identify the cause
  • identify a gap
  • identify a trend
Synonyms
  • detect

    implies careful observation or technical means; slightly more formal

  • pinpoint

    emphasises exact location or cause

  • spot

    less formal; suggests quick noticing

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

identify + object (problem/need/issue/fact)

Usage Note

Subject is often a person in a professional role (teacher, researcher, analyst) or a report or study. Object is typically an abstract noun: problem, issue, need, cause, gap, trend.

Common Mistakes

I identified a cat in the garden.' (only a visual observation, no discovery).
I identified a problem with the heating system.
identify for abstract findings; use see or notice for simple visual perception.

3. to say who you are, usually by giving your name, showing a document, or providin

3.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

to say who you are, usually by giving your name, showing a document, or providing proof of your identity

Example

The guard asked everyone to identify themselves before entering the building.

reflexive: identify yourself

Dylan identified himself as a journalist from the local newspaper.

reflexive + as + role: identify yourself as

Common collocations
  • identify yourself
  • identify yourself as
  • refuse to identify yourself
  • identify yourself by showing
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

identify + reflexive pronoun (yourself / himself / herself)

identify + reflexive pronoun + as + noun/name

Usage Note

Always takes a reflexive pronoun (yourself, himself, herself, themselves) as the object. Use the pattern identify + pronoun + as + role or group to give more detail.

Common Mistakes

He identified at the door.' (missing reflexive pronoun).
He identified himself at the door.
the reflexive pronoun is required.

4. to feel and state that you belong to a particular group of people who share char

4.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

to feel and state that you belong to a particular group of people who share characteristics, beliefs, or interests

Example

Many young people identify as fans of K-pop music and follow Korean culture closely.

identify as + group noun

Shanti identifies as a member of the Indian classical dance community.

Common collocations
  • identify as
  • identify with
  • identify as a member of
  • strongly identify with
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

identify + as + noun (group/category)

identify + with + group

Usage Note

Used with as when stating a category (identify as a feminist) and with when expressing connection or alignment (identify with the team). The verb is intransitive — no direct object; the prepositional phrase carries the meaning.

Common Mistakes

She identifies a Democrat.' (missing as).
She identifies as a Democrat.
the preposition as is required when naming the group.

5. to feel a close emotional connection with someone and understand their situation

5.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

to feel a close emotional connection with someone and understand their situation or feelings as if they were your own

Example

Readers often identify with the main character in a story and share her fears.

identify with + person / character

Bao identified with the struggles of the hero in the novel about war.

Common collocations
  • identify with a character
  • identify with someone's struggles
  • identify with an experience
  • find it hard to identify with
Synonyms
  • empathize with

    more formal; focuses on understanding feelings

  • relate to

    more informal; broader, can include shared experiences

  • feel for

    informal; expresses sympathy without full identification

Grammar Patterns

identify + with + person/character/experience

Usage Note

Always takes the preposition with before the person, group, or experience. The pattern is intransitive: identify with someone, not identify someone.

Common Mistakes

I identify her pain.' (missing with).
I identify with her pain.
the preposition with is required for this sense.
Phrasal verbs

identify as

phrasal verb

To say or believe that you belong to a particular group or have a particular characteristic.

Maya identifies as a feminist and supports gender equality.

Does your friend identify as a member of that club?

be identified with

phrasal verb

To be closely connected or associated with a particular person, group, or idea.

The new policy is identified with the mayor's environmental goals.

This brand is identified with high quality and luxury.

identify with

phrasal verb

To feel that you understand and share the feelings or experiences of another person.

Sara could identify with the main character's struggles in the novel.

Do you identify with any of the political parties?

identify yourself with

phrasal verb

To publicly support or be associated with a particular group or idea.

The actor identified himself with the charity's mission.

Why did she identify herself with that controversial movement?

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Recognize is the broadest of these — you can recognize a face without being able to say whose it is. Identify goes a step further: you can not only recognize someone or something but also say who or what they are, by name or category. Name is more direct and specific — you name a bird by saying 'that is a blue jay,' while identifying might involve showing a picture or describing features. Pinpoint suggests you have located the exact person or thing among many possibilities, often with precision (e.g. a specific location on a map). Classify is more formal and technical, used when you assign something to a known group or category. For everyday use, recognize works for simple familiarity, while identify is the right choice when you need to establish or state an identity.

recognize ↗name ↗pinpointclassify ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • positively identify
  • clearly identify
  • easily identify
  • correctly identify
  • quickly identify

Phrases

  • identify someone by sight
  • identify someone by name
  • identify a need for
  • identify with someone

Prepositions

  • identify by
  • identify through
  • identify from

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Identify comes from the Latin word identificare, which was formed from idem ('the same') and facere ('to make'). So the original idea was 'to make the same' or 'to show that two things are the same.' This root meaning still shows in the sense 'identify with' (feeling the same as someone) and in related words like identical (exactly the same). The word entered English in the 1600s from French identifier, and its modern meanings — naming a person or thing, finding a problem, or stating your group — all developed later as the word expanded from 'making the same' to 'establishing what something is.'