Acknowledge

/əkˈnɒl.ɪd͡ʒ/

Synonyms for "acknowledge" (241 found)

Ranked by relevance and common usage.

Closest matches (49)

acceptaccount foraccreditaccredit withaccrete toadmitadmit everythingaffirmagreeagree provisionallyallegeallowannounceansweranswer backapply toascribe toassent grudginglyasseverateassign to
Show 10 more words
attach toattestattributeattribute toaveravouchavowbear the expensebear witnessblame

Strong matches (72)

blame forblame onblessbring home tocertifycharge oncharge tochip incleancome backcome back atcome cleanconcedeconfessconnectconnect withconsidercop a pleacreditcredit with
Show 27 more words
declaredeemdefraydefray expensesdeponedeposedisclosedivulgeechoexpress general agreementfacefasten uponfather uponfigurefinancefix onfix uponflash backfoot the billfundgive acknowledgmentgive answergive creditgive evidencegive thanksgo along withgo dutch
Noun(10 words)

Related words (120)

granthailhang onholdhonor a billimpute tokeeplay tolet onmake acknowledgments ofmentionnot opposeoffer thanksopen upout with itownown uppay forpay the billpay the piper
Show 53 more words
pin onpinpointplace uponplead guiltypoint toproclaimpublishput downreactreceiverecognizeredeemreechoreferrefer torejoinrender creditrender thanksreplyrespondretortreturnreturn answerreturn for answerreturn thanksrevealreverberateripostesaddle onsaddle withsaysay in replyset downset down tosettle uponshoot backspillspill itspit it outstand the costssweartaketalk backtelltell alltell the truthtestifythankviewvouchwarrantwitnessyield
Noun(22 words)
grant standardsgrant termgrantinggrantslive withmentionsnodnodsowned byowningpattern recognition taskrecognize moral importancerecognizingrehirespectsrogersalutessalutingsigehunderstanding
Show 2 more words
vedavocal affect recognition

Choosing the right synonym

  • Closest matches in this entry: admit, recognize, accept, accept, accept responsibility.
  • Sentence evidence is available for acknowledge, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
  • Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.

Synonym selection checklist

  • Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
  • Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
  • Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "acknowledge".
  • Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.

When not to replace "acknowledge"

Keep "acknowledge" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.

If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.

Replacement workflow

1. Preserve meaning

Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "acknowledge" intact in the sentence you are editing.

2. Tune tone

Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.

3. Re-read context

Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.

Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.

Final fit check

After choosing a replacement for "acknowledge", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.

If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "acknowledge" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.

Related word relations

OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.

5 relation types

More general

20 entries

Showing 16 of 20 words.

More specific

6 entries

Collocations

6 entries

Inflections

3 entries

Derivations

1 entries

Translations

10 translations across 9 languages.

Powered by Wiktionary

Ancient Greek

1 entries
  • νομίζω verb (to own with gratitude)

Arabic

1 entries
  • شَكَرَ verb (to own with gratitude)

Bulgarian

1 entries
  • признателен съм verb (to own with gratitude)

Dutch

2 entries
  • erkennen verb (to own with gratitude)
  • erkentelijk zijn verb (to own with gratitude)

Finnish

1 entries
  • kiittää verb (to own with gratitude)

Galician

1 entries
  • recoñecer verb (to own with gratitude)

Old English

1 entries
  • oncnāwan verb (to own with gratitude)

Portuguese

1 entries
  • reconhecer verb (to own with gratitude)

Serbo-Croatian

1 entries
  • priznati verb (to own with gratitude)

Sample sentences

24 total sentences available.

Tatoeba + Wiktionary

You should acknowledge your failure.

Source: tatoeba (16026)

I acknowledge your kindness.

Source: tatoeba (54425)

I hereby beg to acknowledge your letter.

Source: tatoeba (64422)

Yes, sorry, I forgot to acknowledge it.

Source: tatoeba (65351)

Showing 4 of 24 available sentences.

Common questions

What are the closest synonyms for "acknowledge"?

Closest matches include admit, recognize, accept, accept, accept responsibility.

How should I check whether a synonym fits "acknowledge"?

Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.

More for "acknowledge"