admit

[ad-mit]

verb (used with object)

admitted, admitting 

1. to allow to enter; grant or afford entrance to.

   to admit a student to college.

   Synonyms: receive

2. to give right or means of entrance to.

   This ticket admits two people.

3. to register (a person) as an inpatient at a hospital.

   After seeing the test results, the emergency room doctor admitted her and put her on intravenous fluids.

4. to permit to exercise a certain function or privilege.

   admitted to the bar.

5. to permit; allow.

6. to allow or concede as valid.

   to admit the force of an argument.

7. to acknowledge; confess.

   He admitted his guilt.

   Synonyms: avow, own

8. to grant in argument; concede.

   The fact is admitted.

9. to have capacity for.

   This passage admits two abreast.

verb (used without object)

admitted, admitting 

1. to permit entrance; give access.

   This door admits to the garden.

2. to permit the possibility of something; allow (usually followed byof ).

   The contract admits of no other interpretation.

admit

/ ədˈmɪt /

verb

1. (may take a clause as object) to confess or acknowledge (a crime, mistake, etc)

2. (may take a clause as object) to concede (the truth or validity of something)

3. to allow to enter; let in

4. (foll by to) to allow participation (in) or the right to be part (of)

   to admit to the profession

5. to allow (of); leave room (for)

6. (intr) to give access

   the door admits onto the lawn

Other Word Forms

• admittable adjective
• admittible adjective
• admitter noun
• preadmit verb (used with object)
• readmit verb

Word History and Origins

Origin of admit¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; from Latin admittere, from ad- ad- + mittere “to send, let go”; replacing late Middle English amitte, with a- a- ⁵ instead of ad-, from Middle French amettre, from Latin, as above

Word History and Origins

Origin of admit¹

C14: from Latin admittere to let come or go to, from ad- to + mittere to send

Synonym Study

See acknowledge.

Example Sentences

Once admitted he was placed under what is known as a “blackout” procedure for patients in law-enforcement custody, making it harder for anyone to find him.

From Los Angeles Times

The original Dangerous Dogs Act "changed my life" as a surgeon, she admitted.

From BBC

The FBI has also claimed he had admitted building a device which exploded in a West Berlin nightclub in 1986, killing three people, including two US servicemen, and injuring dozens more.

From BBC

In 2005, on the same day he finished recording “Everything In Transit,” McMahon was admitted to the hospital after complaining of a prolonged sore throat and fatigue.

From Los Angeles Times

He will be the dominant voice in Draper's ear, with the 23-year-old previously admitting he has struggled having two coaches.

From BBC

Related Words

• accept 
• affirm 
• agree 
• allow 
• approve 
• concede 
• confirm 
• declare 
• disclose 
• grant 
• indicate 
• permit 
• recognize 
• reveal 
• talk 
• tell