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Synonyms

acknowledge

American

[ak-nol-ij] / ækˈnɒl ɪdʒ /

verb (used with object)

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
to show or express recognition or realization of.

to acknowledge an acquaintance by nodding.
to recognize the authority, validity, or claims of.

The students acknowledged the authority of the student council.
to show or express appreciation or gratitude for.

to acknowledge a favor.
to indicate or make known the receipt of.

to acknowledge a letter.
to take notice of or reply to.

to acknowledge a greeting.
Law. to confirm as binding or of legal force.

to acknowledge a deed.

acknowledge British

/ əkˈnɒlɪdʒ /

verb

(may take a clause as object) to recognize or admit the existence, truth, or reality of
to indicate recognition or awareness of, as by a greeting, glance, etc
to express appreciation or thanks for

to acknowledge a gift
to make the receipt of known to the sender

to acknowledge a letter
to recognize, esp in legal form, the authority, rights, or claims of

"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

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

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

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.

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Vocabulary lists containing acknowledge

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Common Core Grades 7–8, List 1

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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:

acknowledge acknowledges acknowledged acknowledging

The regulator, which received two complaints about the broadcast, said the "very significant inaccuracy" and the "considerable length of time" taken to acknowledge the error breached two of its rules.

From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026

A spokesperson for St James Group said: "The death of Mick Ferris in 2018 was tragic. Our thoughts remain with his family and friends. We acknowledge today's verdict and will carefully consider its implications."

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026

The court, though, did acknowledge that social media also has benefits and didn’t go as far as ordering Meta to change its algorithm and recommendations because it affects content on the platform.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026

Patrick: While reporting this story, I asked around for marketing leaders who would acknowledge a lot of AI in their LinkedIn presence.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

The striking reluctance of whites, in particular, to talk about or even acknowledge race has led many scholars and advocates to conclude that we would be better off not talking about race at all.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

The Salvadoran acknowledges that, during international competitions, he often finds that there are still people who don’t even know where El Salvador is located.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026

A spokesperson for Toney said: "Ivan acknowledges the charge and although he is naturally shocked, he looks forward to being given the opportunity to clear his name in court."

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026

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

Somebody finally acknowledges the cloud hanging over the kitchen, which for some reason is like acknowledging me.

From "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas

Hilton acknowledged the long odds he faces in the November general election.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026

The UN organisation also ruled out any danger to human health or the environment and acknowledged potential economic benefits if the technique proved successful.

From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026

While Paramount executives have privately acknowledged discussing a move from California, the studio’s home for more than a century, Delrahim’s remarks are the first time the company has publicly acknowledged the possibility.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026

But she acknowledged that short-term home rentals remain the company’s primary business.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026

He acknowledged that this represented an escalation, but given Hamilton’s arrogant evasiveness, “more will now be required than would have been asked at first.”

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

I spent the first three paragraphs of a recent column distinguishing between acknowledging failed climate policy and questioning climate science.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026

Ohtani always has put winning first, but he also began the season openly acknowledging his quest for a Cy Young Award.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 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

You’re still not acknowledging billions of dollars in losses on subprime mortgage bonds.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

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