acknowledge
verb
ac·knowl·edge
ik-ˈnä-lij 
ak-
acknowledged; acknowledging
1
: to recognize the rights, authority, or status of
They acknowledged him as their leader.
2
: to disclose knowledge of or agreement with
She readily acknowledged her mistake.
3
a
: to express gratitude or obligation for
acknowledge a gift
b
: to take notice of
failed to acknowledge my greeting
c
: to make known the receipt of
acknowledge a letter
4
: to recognize as genuine or valid
acknowledge a debt
Synonyms
Examples of acknowledge in a Sentence
They acknowledged that the decision was a mistake.
Do you acknowledge that you caused this mess?
They readily acknowledged their mistake.
She won't acknowledge responsibility for her actions.
He quickly acknowledges all of my e-mails when he receives them.
Please acknowledge receipt of this letter.
She acknowledged the gift with a card.
She acknowledged his greeting with a smile.
Recent Examples on the Web
In trying to get released early from prison, Cohen acknowledged giving his lawyer arguments with fake legal citations generated by artificial intelligence.
—
Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 23 Apr. 2024
At the beginning of 2023, Fink acknowledged that the year before, BlackRock had lost around $4 billion in assets under management as a result of boycotts against the company.
—Paolo Confino, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2024
The principle of proportionality, codified in 1977 in Additional Protocol I, acknowledges that sometimes armies will harm civilians and civilian objects when pursuing military objectives.
—Oona A. Hathaway, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024
Netanyahu has refused to acknowledge his own responsibility for the intelligence and operational failures that led to the incursion and has repeatedly said they will all be investigated only once the war is over.
More than 130 hostages, some dead, remain in Gaza.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2024
The head of the Federal Aviation Administration acknowledged that the agency must do more to reduce fatigue among air traffic controllers amid an ongoing staffing shortage.
—Joel Rose, NPR, 22 Apr. 2024
Today, Apocalypse Now is universally acknowledged as one of the most imaginative, original and engrossing films of the past century, perhaps the supreme exemplar of the heroic age of analog filmmaking, the like of which may never be seen again.
—Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Apr. 2024
Having a restaurant on the notoriously quiet Harrison Street, which gets little to no foot traffic, is a challenge, Cifuentes acknowledges.
—Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2024
Anticipatory nostalgia encourages us to acknowledge and accept the inevitability of change.
—Amanda Montell, Twin Cities, 21 Apr. 2024
Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 23 Apr. 2024
At the beginning of 2023, Fink acknowledged that the year before, BlackRock had lost around $4 billion in assets under management as a result of boycotts against the company.
—Paolo Confino, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2024
The principle of proportionality, codified in 1977 in Additional Protocol I, acknowledges that sometimes armies will harm civilians and civilian objects when pursuing military objectives.
—Oona A. Hathaway, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024
Netanyahu has refused to acknowledge his own responsibility for the intelligence and operational failures that led to the incursion and has repeatedly said they will all be investigated only once the war is over.
More than 130 hostages, some dead, remain in Gaza.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2024
The head of the Federal Aviation Administration acknowledged that the agency must do more to reduce fatigue among air traffic controllers amid an ongoing staffing shortage.
—Joel Rose, NPR, 22 Apr. 2024
Today, Apocalypse Now is universally acknowledged as one of the most imaginative, original and engrossing films of the past century, perhaps the supreme exemplar of the heroic age of analog filmmaking, the like of which may never be seen again.
—Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Apr. 2024
Having a restaurant on the notoriously quiet Harrison Street, which gets little to no foot traffic, is a challenge, Cifuentes acknowledges.
—Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2024
Anticipatory nostalgia encourages us to acknowledge and accept the inevitability of change.
—Amanda Montell, Twin Cities, 21 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'acknowledge.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near acknowledge
Cite this Entry
“Acknowledge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acknowledge. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
acknowledge
verb
ac·knowl·edge
ik-ˈnäl-ij
ak-
acknowledged; acknowledging
1
: to recognize the rights or authority of
2
: to admit the truth or existence of
3
: to make known that something has been received or noticed
acknowledge a letter
Legal Definition
acknowledge
transitive verb
ac·knowl·edge
acknowledged; acknowledging
1
: to indicate recognition and acceptance of
the power of taxation in the general and state governments is acknowledged to be concurrent—McCulloch v. Maryland, 17 U.S. 316 (1819)
McCulloch v. Maryland, 17 U.S. 316 (1819)2
a
: to show by word or act that one has knowledge of and accepts responsibility for (a duty, obligation, or indebtedness)
b
: to admit paternity of
will acknowledge the child as his
compare filiate
3
: to make known to a sender or giver the receipt of (what has been sent or given) or the fact of (one's having received what has been sent or given)
acknowledge receipt of a letter
4
: to recognize as genuine so as to give validity : avow or admit in legal form
the execution of any such power of attorney shall be acknowledged before one of the officers—U.S. Code
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