identify with

phrasal verb

identified with; identifying with; identifies with

: to think of (something) as being the same as (something else)

It is a mistake to identify being healthy with being thin.

: to think of (someone) as being very closely associated with (something)

She has always been identified with the civil rights movement.

These groups are identified with conservation.

: to think of oneself as having the same problems and feelings as someone

Many readers identify with the characters in her novels.