IDENTIFYING Synonyms: 85 Similar and Opposite Words

identifying 1 of 2

adjective

as in distinguishing

serving to identify as belonging to an individual or group the marching band's striking black-and-silver uniforms serve as its identifying mark for thousands of parade spectators

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identifying

2 of 2

verb

present participle of identify

as in pinpointing

to find out or establish the identity of sufficient forensic evidence to allow investigators to identify the perpetrator

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in associating

to think of (something) in combination for some reason, he always identified the color red with flowers

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of identifying

Adjective

Heuer’s attorney, Erick Kaardal, argued that privacy concerns could be balanced with the public’s right to access government records by redacting identifying or sensitive information on the forms. — Scott Bauer, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026 But the implementation of that plan has been slow, and some locals have expressed discomfort with the idea of submitting more identifying information, Nguyen said. — Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 27 May 2026 There are also passports from Lithuania, Ukraine, the Czech Republic and Russia, with most identifying information blacked out. — Scott MacFarlane, CBS News, 18 Dec. 2025 Another intriguing possibility is to wait until the wireless world’s progress to ever-shorter wavelengths finally hits the millimeter band, which is small enough to resolve most identifying details. — IEEE Spectrum, 16 Jan. 2020

Verb

That day in the spring brought the work of several tenacious investigators – with the assist of genetic genealogy – closer to identifying the remains. — Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026 And many doctors who certify deaths in emergency rooms and hospitals, or for patients who die at home, don't have protocols for confidently identifying heat impacts, says Khatana. — Alejandra Borunda, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026 Bowie and Renan, by identifying a consistently conservative power of the Court, vault that obstacle. — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 For the Hurricanes to get that done, Mirabal’s first task is identifying who among his 19 players are worthy of starting spots. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026 During the holidays, that could mean repositioning inventory as demand shifts, identifying supplier or transportation delays sooner, or dynamically finding the fastest and most cost-effective way to fulfill an order when conditions change. — Jill Standish, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026 At The Canteen, Chami takes a similar approach, onboarding establishments with a knack for identifying creative dishes that excite customers. — Lyndsay C. Green, Freep.com, 30 Aug. 2026 This was largely because its identifying features – segmented abdominal appendages, for example – ticked the boxes for crustacean morphology. — New Atlas, 30 Aug. 2026 The prime minister of the Nordic country posted a screen shot of the plastic surgeon’s offer on Instagram but without identifying him. — Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for identifying

Adjective

While cognitive decline is far more common among individuals over 65 years, some genetic mutations cause the same characteristic loss of memory and mental processing in children.

— Mike McRae August 26, New Atlas, 26 Aug. 2026
But the link was far less clear between dementia and lower stages of CTE, or even those whose brains had been found to be free of the disease's characteristic buildups of tau protein.

— Becky Sullivan, NPR, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of characteristic

Verb

In recent years, white supremacists have embraced the concept of lactose intolerance as a distinguishing debility of nonwhite people.

— Hilary Smith, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026
The app offers a free entry-level service, while distinguishing itself with an option for 3-D modeling of a client’s cellar, starting at $1,500 to $5,000.

— Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of distinguishing

Verb

For creators, attending a Grand Slam can signal something to their audiences beyond an interest in tennis; for brands, the appeal lies partly in associating themselves with that cachet.

— Jessica Schiffer, Vogue, 25 Aug. 2026
On the one hand, associating Russia with the Eurasian steppe is a political move.

— Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of associating

Adjective

These challenging conditions are precisely what make a summer off-road safari such a distinctive way to experience Iceland’s rugged interior.

— Gwen Nicol, Travel + Leisure, 29 Aug. 2026
Meghna Gulzar has a very distinctive voice and an ability to approach difficult subjects with both restraint and intensity.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of distinctive

Verb

Organizations need security operations capable of correlating multiple attack vectors, responding at machine speed and continuously learning from attacks occurring far beyond the walls of any single enterprise.

— Emil Sayegh, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Another study observed children as young as ten months old correlating larger physical statures with dominance.

— Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 4 June 2026

Definition of correlating

Adjective

Lee said her ultimate vision is to use BodyCodes to filter search results for the user, so she will only be served jeans from brands that fit her distinct shape.

— Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026
Tel-Rea, the Jedi character, is almost entirely melee-focused, but comes with her own entirely distinct skills and combat abilities, essentially requiring you to build your party around her.

— Hayes Madsen, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of distinct

Verb

It’s mainly centered on Billie, who is worried about an old Facebook post standing in the way of finding a job.

— Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Elevating a home can take several months, and while this project would foot the entire bill for elevation, the pot of cash does not cover the costs of finding another place to live during construction.

— Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of finding

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identify

identifying

identifying (with)

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“Identifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/identifying. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of identifying

adjective

verb

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