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Definitions

identify

[ahy-den-tuh-fahy, ih-den-] / aɪˈdɛn təˌfaɪ, ɪˈdɛn- /
VERB
recognize; label
Synonyms
STRONGEST
analyze classify describe determine diagnose establish find name pinpoint select single out spot
STRONG
card catalog distinguish peg place separate tag
WEAK
button down determinate diagnosticate make out pick out put one's finger on tab
Antonyms
STRONGEST
confuse lose miss overlook
WEAK
mistake

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for identify?
There are a lot of good synonyms for identify—which one to use depends on what exactly you want to mean. Here are some of the main ones:
  • 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.
Sometimes, to identify in some way means to consider some characteristic as an inherent part of your identity (and perhaps to make this publicly known), as in I identify as nonbinary or She proudly identifies as Mexican American. Another way to express this is simply by using forms of the verb be, as in I am nonbinary.
Are identify and determine synonyms?
Yes, identify and determine can be synonyms when they mean the same thing as diagnose and pinpoint, among other things.
Does identify mean the same thing as list?
Let’s say you’re taking a test that asks you to identify the world’s oceans. In this case, yes, you’re required to list them. Of course, if you’re asked to come to the front of the classroom and identify them on a map, you’re really being asked to demonstrate that you can recognize them by pointing them out (as opposed to listing them out loud or on paper).
What is an antonym (opposite) of identify?
There are a few different words that you can use as the opposite of identify. The most direct opposite of identify is misidentify, which means to identify something incorrectly. For example, a newspaper story might misidentify someone by providing the wrong name. The police might misidentify a suspect—meaning they got the wrong person. A birder might misidentify a bird due to thinking it’s a different one that’s similar. When identify means to determine, diagnose, or pinpoint something, the opposite of doing this is to overlook or miss something entirely. To misdiagnose a problem is to incorrectly identify something as the problem (when it’s really not).

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.

O’Grady was able to identify his position with a smoke flare when an American helicopter appeared.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

To link my medical records, I had to identify myself to health data connectors that work with the AI companies.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

For example, models based on GC data were able to identify IBD biomarkers, while CRC models could accurately predict GC-related markers.

From Science Daily • Apr. 4, 2026

This approach allowed them to identify mutations directly within genes.

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026

The complex math that continuously ran through her head tended to make her socially awkward, but also let her identify patterns where everyone else saw chaos.

From "City Spies" by James Ponti

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.