Synonyms

concede

American

[kuhn-seed] / kənˈsid /

verb (used with object)

to acknowledge as true, just, or proper; admit.

He finally conceded that she was right.

Synonyms:

grant

Antonyms:

deny
to acknowledge (an opponent's victory, score, etc.) before it is officially established.

to concede an election before all the votes are counted.
to grant as a right or privilege; yield.

to concede a longer vacation for all employees.

Antonyms:

refuse

verb (used without object)

to make a concession; yield to pressure or circumstances; admit defeat.

She was so persistent that I conceded at last.
My favorite candidate conceded before the polls were even closed!

concede British

/ kənˈsiːd /

verb

(when tr, may take a clause as object) to admit or acknowledge (something) as true or correct
to yield or allow (something, such as a right)
(tr) to admit as certain in outcome

to concede an election

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of concede

First recorded in 1625–35; from Latin concēdere, equivalent to con- con- + cēdere “to withdraw, yield”; see cede

Explanation

If you concede something, you admit that it is true, proper, or certain — usually in an unwilling way and often in the context of a competition, as in "At midnight, the candidate finally conceded defeat." In its most common senses, a near synonym of concede is acknowledge — if your mom is pointing out that you need sleep before the test, you should concede the truth of what she's saying. But another meaning of concede is to give away or grant something, as when an unpopular leader is unwilling to concede power. Concede is from Latin concēdere, from the prefix com-, "completely," plus cēdere, "to go along, grant, yield." The corresponding noun is concession.

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Vocabulary lists containing concede

List 1

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"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 1–6

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Touching Spirit Bear

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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.

Even the most extreme money printer is likely to concede that something which cannot continue forever, won’t.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026

With the Knicks just two wins from completing a magical title run, the most dedicated NYC hater has to concede:

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

“I just concede it—things have to work in my favor for this Buy to work,” he says.

From Barron's • May 8, 2026

The Welsh government's deputy first minister, Huw Irranca-Davies, did not concede the election but said it had been "tough" for his party.

From BBC • May 7, 2026

The overwhelming biological merits of a self- complementary DNA molecule made him effectively concede the race.

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023