Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

acknowledge

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of acknowledge

to accept the truth or existence of (something) usually reluctantly
  • The teen finally had to acknowledge that she'd outgrown her favorite shoes.
Synonyms of acknowledge

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

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)
Phrases Synonymous with acknowledge

come clean (about)
Near Antonyms of acknowledge

disallow, disavow, disclaim, disown

contradict, dispute, gainsay, negate, negative

rebut, refute, reject, repudiate

conceal, cover (up), hide, obscure, veil

kid (oneself)
Antonyms of acknowledge

deny

Synonym Discussion of acknowledge

acknowledge, admit, own, avow, confess mean to disclose against one's will or inclination. acknowledge implies the disclosing of something that has been or might be concealed.
    • acknowledged an earlier peccadillo
admit implies reluctance to disclose, grant, or concede and refers usually to facts rather than their implications.
    • admitted the project was over budget
own implies acknowledging something in close relation to oneself.
    • must own I know little about computers
avow implies boldly declaring, often in the face of hostility, what one might be expected to be silent about.
    • avowed that he was a revolutionary
confess may apply to an admission of a weakness, failure, omission, or guilt.
    • confessed a weakness for sweets

Learn More about acknowledge

  1. See words that rhyme with acknowledge Dictionary: Definition of acknowledge Spanish Central: Translation of acknowledge Nglish: Translation of acknowledge for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of acknowledge for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up acknowledge? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games