acknowledge defeat

Meanings

1. 1phraseidiomformal

   To accept publicly that you have lost a fight, election, game, or argument.

   Grammar: Used as a verb phrase; the subject is the person or group that lost, and it takes no object: She acknowledged defeat.

   Patterns

   • acknowledge defeat
   • be forced to acknowledge defeat
   • refuse to acknowledge defeat

   After a long night of counting votes, the candidate finally acknowledged defeat.

   The team refused to acknowledge defeat until the final whistle.

   He was too proud to acknowledge defeat in front of his friends.

2. 2phraseidiomformal

   To admit that a plan, idea, or effort has failed and cannot succeed.

   Grammar: Also intransitive; often used about governments, companies, or campaigners giving up on a policy.

   Patterns

   • acknowledge defeat on something
   • be ready to acknowledge defeat

   The government was slow to acknowledge defeat on its housing plan.

   Rather than acknowledge defeat, the company poured more money into the project.

Common combinations

refuse to acknowledge defeat

Even after the recount, he refused to acknowledge defeat.

finally acknowledge defeat

She finally acknowledged defeat and congratulated her opponent.

publicly acknowledge defeat

The minister publicly acknowledged defeat over the new tax.

be forced to acknowledge defeat

The army was forced to acknowledge defeat after months of fighting.

Synonyms and how they differ

concede

More formal and often used in elections and sport; it usually takes an object, as in 'concede the election'.

admit defeat

Very similar and slightly more common in everyday speech, but a little less official in tone.

give up

Informal and broader; it can mean stopping any activity, not only accepting that you have lost.

Opposites

Word family

acknowledgment noun

The act of accepting or admitting that something is true.

acknowledged adjective

Recognized by most people as important or valid.

Commonly confused: acknowledge defeat or admit?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “acknowledge defeat”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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