concede

con·cede

verb \kən-ˈsēd\

con·ced·edcon·ced·ing

Definition of CONCEDE

transitive verb

1

: to grant as a right or privilege

2

a : to accept as true, valid, or accurate <the right of the state to tax is generally conceded>

b (1) : to acknowledge grudgingly or hesitantly <conceded that it might be a good idea> (2) : to relinquish grudgingly or hesitantly <concede power>

intransitive verb

: to make concession : yield

— con·ced·ed·ly \-ˈsē-dəd-lē\ adverb

— con·ced·er noun

Examples of CONCEDE

1. I concede that the work has been slow so far, but it should speed up soon.
2. “Your plan might work,” she conceded, “but I still think mine is better.”
3. Although it seems clear that he has lost the election, he still refuses to concede.
4. He's not ready to concede the election.
5. The former ruler was forced to concede power to a new government.
6. The company says that workers are not conceding enough in negotiations.
7. … he conceded that with six kids, something like this was bound to happen. At least one of them had to be a bad egg. —Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, 2005
8. … it was generally conceded that Caepio, if and when tried for treason under the present system, would be acquitted. —Colleen McCullough, The First Man in Rome, (1990) 1991
9. … after listening to Tom, he conceded that there were some conspicuous advantages about a life of crime, and so he consented to be a pirate. —Mark Twain, Tom Sawyer, 1876

Origin of CONCEDE

French or Latin; French concéder, from Latin concedere, from com- + cedere to yield

First Known Use: 1626

Related to CONCEDE

Synonyms

acknowledge, agree, allow, admit, confess, fess (up), grant, own (up to)

Antonyms

deny

Related Words

disburden, unburden, unload; affirm, avow, confirm, profess; accept, recognize, yield; announce, break, broadcast, communicate, declare, disclose, divulge, impart, proclaim, publish, reveal, spill, tell, unveil; betray, blab, expose, give away, inform, leak, rat, squeal, talk, tattle, tip (off), warn, wise (up); breathe, say, whisper

Near Antonyms

disallow, disavow, disclaim, disown; contradict, dispute, gainsay, negate, negative; rebut, refute, reject, repudiate; conceal, cover (up), hide, obscure, veil; kid (oneself)

See Synonym Discussion at grant