acknowledge

American  

[ak-nol-ij] / ækˈnɒl ɪdʒ /

verb (used with object)

• acknowledges,
  present (3rd person singular)
• acknowledged,
  past participle,  past
• acknowledging
  present participle

1. to admit to be real or true; recognize the existence, truth, or fact of.

   to acknowledge one's mistakes.

   Synonyms:

   grant, confess, concede

   Antonyms:

   disavow, disclaim, deny

2. to show or express recognition or realization of.

   to acknowledge an acquaintance by nodding.

3. to recognize the authority, validity, or claims of.

   The students acknowledged the authority of the student council.

4. to show or express appreciation or gratitude for.

   to acknowledge a favor.

5. to indicate or make known the receipt of.

   to acknowledge a letter.

6. to take notice of or reply to.

   to acknowledge a greeting.

7. Law. to confirm as binding or of legal force.

   to acknowledge a deed.

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acknowledge British  

/ əkˈnɒlɪdʒ /

verb

1. (may take a clause as object) to recognize or admit the existence, truth, or reality of

2. to indicate recognition or awareness of, as by a greeting, glance, etc

3. to express appreciation or thanks for

   to acknowledge a gift

4. to make the receipt of known to the sender

   to acknowledge a letter

5. to recognize, esp in legal form, the authority, rights, or claims of

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Synonym Usage

Acknowledge, admit, confess agree in the idea of declaring something to be true. Acknowledge implies making a statement reluctantly, often about something previously denied: to acknowledge a fault. Admit especially implies acknowledging something under pressure: to admit a charge. Confess usually means stating somewhat formally an admission of wrongdoing, crime, or shortcoming: to confess guilt; to confess an inability to understand.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• acknowledger
  noun
• preacknowledge
  verb (used with object)
• reacknowledge
  verb (used with object)
• acknowledgeable
  adjective
• unacknowledging
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• acknowledging
  present
• acknowledged
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• acknowledge
  simple
• acknowledges
  simple
• have acknowledged
  perfect
• has acknowledged
  perfect
• am acknowledging
  progressive
• are acknowledging
  progressive
• is acknowledging
  progressive
• have been acknowledging
  perfect progressive
• has been acknowledging
  perfect progressive

Past

• acknowledged
  simple
• had acknowledged
  perfect
• was acknowledging
  progressive
• were acknowledging
  progressive
• had been acknowledging
  perfect progressive

Future

• will acknowledge
  simple
• will have acknowledged
  perfect
• will be acknowledging
  progressive
• will have been acknowledging
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of acknowledge

First recorded in 1475–85; late Middle English acknowleche, apparently either Middle English aknou(en) “to recognize” + -leche, noun suffix, variant of -lac; or a blend of aknouen and knouleche knowledge; then a- was mistaken for ac-

Explanation

To show that you know something is to acknowledge it. Waving "hello" to acknowledge a friend and nodding your head "yes" to acknowledge that you agree with what's being said are both acts showing knowledge or acceptance of someone or something. Dictionaries acknowledge that the word acknowledge has roots in the 15th and 16th centuries and is a combination of roots meaning "accord," "recognize," and "understand." Whereas "knowledge" is what you know, acknowledging is showing that you know. You might acknowledge that the world is round and that the moon is not made of cheese. You also can acknowledge, or give recognition, to the people who discovered these truths.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

acknowledge acknowledges acknowledged acknowledging

While Goyal explicitly said the decision wasn’t driven by AI, she did acknowledge that the technology is changing how her teams work.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

“I accept full responsibility for my words and acknowledge the necessity of immediate accountability,” he continued.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

"We acknowledge the industry made advances in safety, but the high injury and death rates persisted with no sign of improvement," Peters's spokesperson added.

From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026

Indian executives acknowledge the risks could hurt near-term sentiment but argue domestic demand would eventually offset any slowdown abroad.

From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026

Even Jefferson seemed to acknowledge that Adams did not quite fit into this rigid formula.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

Augenbraun acknowledges that all this preparation can take away some of the pleasure of being outdoors and that, ultimately, awareness may simply be the best defense we have at our disposal.

From Slate ● Aug. 6, 2026

While TJ acknowledges her family is fortunate enough to afford it, she says the sticker shock from inflation is real — and it’s changing how she shops for everyday essentials.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026

“My whole trajectory doesn’t make a lot of sense on paper,” he acknowledges.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

The government has committed to upskilling more than 300,000 outsourcing workers, but Aguirre acknowledges that the Philippines may need to rethink the economic model that helped make it an outsourcing centre.

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026

But he acknowledges that people can’t raise those objections if they don’t understand their tissues are being used in the first place.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

Aspell, the deputy executive officer, acknowledged that the lung-irritating chemical continues to be a concern.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

Its chair, Alan Lovell, acknowledged too many water bodies were "still not achieving the standards we want to see", adding that the agency was "transforming our enforcement work" with its largest ever workforce.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

Murrill, the Louisiana attorney general, said her office’s investigation is only just beginning but acknowledged that states including her own would face obstacles in pursuing charges.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

US Vice President JD Vance acknowledged American frustrations with the pace of diplomacy with Iran, saying negotiations would take time because of divisions within the country's leadership.

From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026

When he reached Athens he was an acknowledged hero and he was invited to a banquet by the King, who of course was unaware that Theseus was his son.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

By using only part of the original painting and omitting the mission, I’m reclaiming space for Black and brown spirituality while acknowledging that this land existed long before colonization.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

They told her to take down the post and asked her to sign a letter acknowledging she had been informed that she “may” have violated federal law with her social-media account.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

The persistent security challenges point to a failing system, but the arrest of Yusuf shows the military is – at the very least – acknowledging that the problem exists within its own ranks.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

He responded by touting the companies’ “overlap” and collaboration, before acknowledging that he can’t discuss corporate combinations on an earnings call and allowing Tesla’s general counsel to step in.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026

He peered at us with an acknowledging frown and nod, then quickly walked away.

From "Warriors Don't Cry: A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock's Central High" by Melba Pattillo Beals

Related Words

• accept
• agree
• defend
• endorse
• recognize
• support