identify

verb

iden·​ti·​fy ī-ˈden-tə-ˌfī How to pronounce identify (audio)
ə-
identified; identifying; identifies

transitive verb

1
a
: to perceive or state the identity of (someone or something)
"It's the young man!" I thought, feeling my heart shoot as I identified him.Charlies Dickens
Mr. Mace identified the phial handed him by Counsel as that sold by him to "Mr. Inglethorp."Agatha Christie
Hitters say the spitball is easily identified because, while it has the speed of a fastball, it scarcely rotates.Ron Fimrite
b(1)
: to ascertain the identity of (someone or something that is unfamiliar or unknown)
He was able to quickly identify the problem.
Police have identified a person of interest.
Dr. McGovern explains that "identifying the cause of the disease is a breakthrough. …"The Chronicle of the Horse
(2)
: to determine the taxonomic position or category of (a biological specimen)
We were able to identify the plant as belonging to the nightshade family.
2
a
: to conceive as united (as in spirit, outlook, or principle)
These groups are identified with conservation.
b
: to cause to be or become identical
identified her interests with theirs
Sometimes people identify success with money, but for me it's giving of yourself.Lorna E. Barnes
In some strange way the boat became identified with himself, and just as it would have been useless for him to get up and steer the boat, so was it useless for him to struggle any longer with the irresistible force of his own feelings.Virginia Woolf

intransitive verb

1
: to feel a sense of unity (as of interests, purpose, or effect) and close emotional association : to engage in psychological identification
Many readers identify with the hero of a novel.
I could identify with the anxiety she was experiencing.
2
: to have or assert an identity of a specified kind
Of the high school students who participated, 77% identified as female, 20% identified as male, 2% identified as nonbinary …Elizabeth Beyer
3
archaic : to be or become the same
… new channels of communication will be opened between the States, the lines of separation will disappear, their interests will be identified, and their union cemented by new and indissoluble bonds.Thomas Jefferson

Examples of identify in a Sentence

She identified the dog as her lost pet. He was able to correctly identify the mushroom. The witness positively identified the suspect in the crime. The corpse was identified on the basis of dental records. They could not identify the source of the quotation. They had no difficulty in identifying the problem. We began by identifying what we needed for the job. We need to identify the causes of unemployment.
Recent Examples on the Web Mesa police said the person who died in the fire still has not been identified. Hayleigh Evans, The Arizona Republic, 9 Mar. 2024 Police said Romero identified himself to officers as homeless. Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2024 When gathering various pieces of a person’s identity, fraudsters may also turn to marketplaces on the dark web, where much personal identifying information — often stolen through security breaches — is for sale. Tara Siegel Bernard, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2024 Meanwhile, police in Fairfax County, also citing DNA evidence, publicly identified Harrison as a suspect in the 1989 strangulation of 18-year-old Amy Baker. Olivia Diaz, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024 Have the victims been identified? As of Saturday morning, none of the victims' names had been released by the Clark County Sheriff's Office. Law enforcement officials told Twin Cities television station KSTP that none of the victims are from the area and were just passing through. Drew Dawson, Journal Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2024 Then, forensic investigative genetic genealogy identified a family name for the suspect in December, according to the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office. Amanda Jackson, CNN, 9 Mar. 2024 The victim was later identified as Alex Mackiewicz by his aunt Wendy Cegielski in a GoFundMe campaign. David Chiu, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2024 The new species was identified by its body shape, size, pincers and other subtle physical features, the study said. Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'identify.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1746, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of identify was in 1746

Dictionary Entries Near identify

Cite this Entry

“Identify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/identify. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

identify

verb
iden·​ti·​fy ī-ˈdent-ə-ˌfī How to pronounce identify (audio)
ə-ˈdent-
identified; identifying
1
: to think of as united (as in spirit or principle)
groups identified with conservation
2
: to find out or show the identity of
identified the dog as her lost pet
3
: to think of oneself as having the same problems and feelings as someone else
identify with a character in a story
identifiable adjective
identifiably adverb
identifier
-ˌfī(-ə)r
noun

Medical Definition

identify

verb
iden·​ti·​fy ī-ˈdent-ə-ˌfī, ə- How to pronounce identify (audio)
identified; identifying

transitive verb

: to determine the taxonomic position of (a biological specimen)

intransitive verb

: to undergo or experience psychological identification
identify with the hero of a novel

Legal Definition

identify

transitive verb
iden·​ti·​fy
identified; identifying
1
: to consider as united or associated (as in interests or principles)
can ask leading questions of a witness who is identified with an adverse party
2
: to establish the identity of
identifying the suspect
3
: to specify or designate (goods) as the object of a contract
used in the phrase identify to the contract
the disputed beans were goods identified to the contract

Note: Under the Uniform Commercial Code, once goods are identified to a contract, the buyer has a special property interest and an insurable interest in the goods. This gives the buyer the right to seek damages and other relief. This identification can be done at any time and in any manner agreed to by the parties or as otherwise specified in the U.C.C.

identifiable adjective
identification noun

More from Merriam-Webster on identify

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