verb

identified

eye-DEN-ti-fyd

Identified (verb) means the past tense and past participle of identify: to have recognised or established who or what someone or something is. Example: “Police have identified the man arrested on Sunday.”

verb

The past tense and past participle of identify: to have recognised or established who or what someone or something is.

"Police have identified the man arrested on Sunday."

"Researchers identified three separate strains in the sample."

To have singled something out as significant — a problem, a risk, an opportunity — after examining a situation.

"The audit identified serious weaknesses in the payment system."

"We've identified two candidates worth interviewing."

Followed by with or as: to have felt a connection to, or described oneself as belonging to, a group or category.

"She identified strongly with the older sister in the novel."

"About a fifth of respondents identified as non-religious."

How to Use Identified

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishWorked out who or what something is, or pointed it out as important.

When to use it

Neutral. Heavy in reports, research and news writing, often in the passive: has been identified as.

Memory tip

Note the spelling change: identify drops the y for an i before -ed, giving identified.

Common pairings

identified as identified with have been identified identified a problem correctly identified

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Can you complete this real example?

Police have _____ the man arrested on Sunday.

Synonyms

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recognised pinpointed named determined spotted flagged detected highlighted

Related Words

found called known heard named determined accepted appointed

Rhymes for identified

lied pied tied fried dried tried denied allied buried varied envied untied

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between identified and recognised?

Recognised means you knew something on sight, from prior familiarity. Identified means you established what it was, often through examination, comparison or evidence. A witness recognises a friend; a forensic team identifies a body.

What does identified as mean?

It means someone described or classified themselves as belonging to a particular group — a nationality, religion, gender, political leaning or any other category. It reports how the person themselves answered, not an outside judgement, which is why surveys use it.

What is the difference between identified with and identified as?

Identified with means you felt sympathy or a sense of shared experience: I identified with her frustration. Identified as means you stated a category you belong to: he identified as a socialist. The first is about empathy, the second about self-description.

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found called known heard named determined accepted appointed