acknowledge
Americanverb (used with object)
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to admit to be real or true; recognize the existence, truth, or fact of.
to acknowledge one's mistakes.
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to show or express recognition or realization of.
to acknowledge an acquaintance by nodding.
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to recognize the authority, validity, or claims of.
The students acknowledged the authority of the student council.
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to show or express appreciation or gratitude for.
to acknowledge a favor.
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to indicate or make known the receipt of.
to acknowledge a letter.
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to take notice of or reply to.
to acknowledge a greeting.
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Law. to confirm as binding or of legal force.
to acknowledge a deed.
verb
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(may take a clause as object) to recognize or admit the existence, truth, or reality of
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to indicate recognition or awareness of, as by a greeting, glance, etc
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to express appreciation or thanks for
to acknowledge a gift
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to make the receipt of known to the sender
to acknowledge a letter
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to recognize, esp in legal form, the authority, rights, or claims of
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
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acknowledgernoun
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preacknowledgeverb (used with object)
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reacknowledgeverb (used with object)
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acknowledgeableadjective
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unacknowledgingadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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acknowledgesimple
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acknowledgessimple
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have acknowledgedperfect
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has acknowledgedperfect
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am acknowledgingprogressive
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are acknowledgingprogressive
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is acknowledgingprogressive
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have been acknowledgingperfect progressive
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has been acknowledgingperfect progressive
Past
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acknowledgedsimple
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had acknowledgedperfect
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was acknowledgingprogressive
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were acknowledgingprogressive
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had been acknowledgingperfect progressive
Future
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.
Vocabulary lists containing acknowledge
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
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Common Core Grades 7–8, List 1
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Nothing But the Truth
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
I said something like: “Please don’t go home. Your child needs oxygen. She has pneumonia. We will figure out a way to pay for this, because we acknowledge what we do is expensive.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
"Me and my mother were never really warned properly... but I do acknowledge that there is a lack of research and a lack of options to treating eczema."
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
At this point it’s worth stepping back to acknowledge the strangeness of all this.
From Slate ● Jul. 24, 2026
“That piece is labor-intensive, let me acknowledge that.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
But we need to acknowledge the existence of extended, patchy revolutions if we want to turn aside from politics and understand large-scale economic, social, intellectual and technological change.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
He acknowledges the technical hurdles and the profound ethical concerns and allows that his vision may never fully arrive, yet insists it would be wrong not to try.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
The criticism surrounding Fire Point has had at least one tangible consequence, she acknowledges: some projects with foreign partners were delayed for several months for additional compliance procedures.
From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026
He acknowledges it has received insurance industry sponsorships in the past.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
Bailey acknowledges AI is raising new challenges, but he’s optimistic it can help job seekers and employers when used well.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026
"True," he acknowledges, clasping his hands behind his back.
From "What the Night Sings" by Vesper Stamper
But she acknowledged the importance of an Indigenous candidate, four years after the audio leak scandal.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
He acknowledged that the program “plays an invaluable role in the lives of many disabled New Yorkers” but agreed with the Justice Department that “it has also fallen prey to widespread waste, abuse and fraud.”
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
Ms. Bass at least acknowledged last week that her city’s homeless agency is “a broken system.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
Cooper acknowledged that the person he identified as YG was wearing a black balaclava that exposed only the area around his eyes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026
Though Ramsey appeared indifferent, Hale acknowledged his wife and daughter and supporters confidently.
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
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
The Thomas Jefferson Foundation, which owns Monticello and runs its public educational programs, gradually came around to acknowledging the full subjecthood of Sally Hemings, to the chagrin of some visitors.
From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026
Despite acknowledging subtle differences with Lindsey—“I have my own way of doing things,” she wrote in a note to constituents last week—she has emphasized that they shared the “same values.”
From Slate ● Jul. 24, 2026
A Premier League scouting report from that game suggests the midfielder's talent was quickly apparent, acknowledging his "great athleticism, long legs, graceful running and work-rate".
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
She inclined her head and upper body slightly, acknowledging herself as the accused.
From "Gathering Blue" by Lois Lowry
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
