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

"We all react in different ways – and we don't really understand why," admits Prof Ball.

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David admits it hadn't even occurred to him to ask it to suggest possible flights with cheaper prices, but says he will try that for a holiday he is planning to the Mediterranean next year.

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In 2017, before the reconciliation with his daughter, Gallagher admitted he had "never got around" to meeting her, saying he "didn't get on" with her mother.

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A source in the Taliban government admitted women had not been invited to attend.

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Charlton then brought out what Ali, who was 16 at the time, described as carpet and he admitted helping Charlton wrap up her body.

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Related Words

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