recognize (someone)

To "recognize" someone means to know who they are when you see them. You can recognize a friend or an acquaintance, if they look different than usual or you didn't see them very clearly.

Joe's gotten so thin, I almost didn't recognize him.

You can also recognize a person you don't know, if they're famous or you've seen their picture somewhere.

I recognize you from somewhere. You were on American Idol, weren't you?

This phrase appears in these lessons: