identify
identify — verb
1. to know and say who a person is or what something is, based on what you see, hea
to know and say who a person is or what something is, based on what you see, hear, or already know about them
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.
Scientists used DNA tests to identify the remains of the ancient king.
Can you identify which of these drawings was made by a child?
Nkechi could not identify the woman in the old black-and-white photograph.
- confuse
to mistake one person or thing for another
文法句型
identify + object
identify + object + as + noun
用法筆記
Frequently used with can / could to describe ability: 'I can identify him by his voice.'
常見錯誤
2. to find and point out something that exists but was not yet known, such as a dif
to find and point out something that exists but was not yet known, such as a difficulty, a shortage, or an important detail
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.
Our first step is to identify the main causes of the delay.
Feng identified several errors in the report before it was sent out.
The report identified a growing need for affordable housing in the city.
- overlook
to fail to notice something
文法句型
identify + object (problem/need/issue/fact)
用法筆記
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.
常見錯誤
3. to say who you are, usually by giving your name, showing a document, or providin
to say who you are, usually by giving your name, showing a document, or providing proof of your identity
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
All visitors must identify themselves at the front desk.
The man at the door refused to identify himself to the security team.
Nikos identified himself by showing his passport at the check-in counter.
- announce yourself
less formal; implies stating your name aloud
- introduce yourself
implies a social setting, not a security checkpoint
文法句型
identify + reflexive pronoun (yourself / himself / herself)
identify + reflexive pronoun + as + noun/name
用法筆記
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.
常見錯誤
4. to feel and state that you belong to a particular group of people who share char
to feel and state that you belong to a particular group of people who share characteristics, beliefs, or interests
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.
The survey asked people how they identify in terms of their political views.
Zola identifies strongly with the environmental movement and volunteers every weekend.
Some people prefer not to identify with any particular political party.
- consider yourself
broader; does not necessarily imply public statement
- classify yourself as
more formal; suggests a formal category or label
文法句型
identify + as + noun (group/category)
identify + with + group
用法筆記
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.
常見錯誤
5. to feel a close emotional connection with someone and understand their situation
to feel a close emotional connection with someone and understand their situation or feelings as if they were your own
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.
Growing up in a fishing village, Ilan identified with the lonely boy in the film.
Many viewers identified with the family's experience of losing everything in the flood.
Ezra could not identify with the wealthy characters because his own life was so different.
- 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
文法句型
identify + with + person/character/experience
用法筆記
Always takes the preposition with before the person, group, or experience. The pattern is intransitive: identify with someone, not identify someone.