English Meaning & Definitions
To accept, admit, or recognize the existence, truth, or validity of something.
- “She refused to acknowledge the validity of his argument.”
- “The government finally acknowledged that the policy had failed.”
To express appreciation or gratitude for something or someone.
- “The author acknowledged the support of her family in the preface of the book.”
- “He raised his hand to acknowledge the applause from the audience.”
To confirm receipt of something, such as a letter or message.
- “Please acknowledge receipt of this email by clicking the link below.”
- “The company sent a formal letter to acknowledge the customer's complaint.”
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “to acknowledge”.
Formed in the 16th century from the prefix 'ac-' (a variant of 'ad-', meaning 'to') and the Middle English 'knowledge' (from 'know' + the suffix '-ledge'). It originally meant to recognize the authority or claims of someone, evolving to encompass the act of admitting the truth or existence of something.
Think of 'AC' (admit clearly) + 'KNOWLEDGE' (what you know): To acknowledge is to admit clearly what you know to be true.
Frequently Asked Questions About “to acknowledge”
1. What is the meaning of “to acknowledge” in English?
In English, to acknowledge (verb) is defined as: “To accept, admit, or recognize the existence, truth, or validity of something.”.
2. How do you use “to acknowledge” in a sentence?
“She refused to acknowledge the validity of his argument.”
3. What are English synonyms of “to acknowledge”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “to acknowledge”?
Formed in the 16th century from the prefix 'ac-' (a variant of 'ad-', meaning 'to') and the Middle English 'knowledge' (from 'know' + the suffix '-ledge'). It originally meant to recognize the authority or claims of someone, evolving to encompass the act of admitting the truth or existence of something.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →A measurement of time indicating an instantaneous occurrence or a state where no time has elapsed.
The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.