acknowledge defeat

USAGE SUMMARY

"acknowledge defeat" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used in a situation when something has been lost, such as a competition, game, or an argument. For example, "The team graciously acknowledged defeat after their opponent scored the winning goal."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

Lawyers for Elian's Miami relatives refused to acknowledge defeat today.

The New York Times

Take risks, love, laugh, acknowledge defeat but do not succumb to it.

The Guardian - Books

But with official vote counting suspended, there were concerns about whether Mr. Milosevic is willing to acknowledge defeat.

The New York Times

Mr Trygvie Lie was recently appointed by the United Nations to try his hand at mediation, but like others before him had to acknowledge defeat.

The Economist

In the end it was his own people who forced him to acknowledge defeat: the 1993 Oslo accords, he believes, gave the game away.

The Economist

NatWest was also under pressure to acknowledge defeat as key shareholders deserted it in favor of the Royal Bank takeover offer.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

Mr Buhari praised President Jonathan for so quickly acknowledging defeat.

Independent

Over the weekend, South Korea acknowledged defeat in the latest skirmish.

The New York Times

But at midnight on Sept. 23, Mr. Banda tearfully acknowledged defeat.

The New York Times

A match ended when one of the fighters acknowledged defeat or was rendered unconscious.

Encyclopedia Britannica

A contest ended when one of the fighters acknowledged defeat or was rendered unconscious.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "acknowledge defeat" when you want to emphasize a formal or public acceptance of a loss in a competition, election, or any other contest where there's a clear winner and loser.

Common error

Avoid phrasing like "Defeat was acknowledged by the team." Instead, use the active voice: "The team acknowledged defeat." This makes the sentence more direct and impactful.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "acknowledge defeat" functions as a verb phrase. It signifies the action of formally accepting the loss of a contest, election, or other competitive situation. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Encyclopedias

14%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Science

3%

Wiki

3%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "acknowledge defeat" is a common and grammatically sound expression used to formally accept a loss. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is versatile and applicable across various contexts, particularly in news and media, encyclopedias, and formal business settings. While alternatives like "concede defeat" or "admit failure" exist, "acknowledge defeat" often suggests a more public and considered acceptance of the outcome. When using the phrase, be mindful of maintaining an active voice for clear and impactful writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

admit failure

Replaces 'defeat' with 'failure', focusing on the outcome.

concede defeat

Uses 'concede', implying a reluctant admission.

accept loss

Focuses on accepting the state of having lost.

recognize loss

Similar to "accept loss", but emphasizes the recognition of the result.

yield

Implies giving way or surrendering, more concise.

surrender

Stronger term indicating complete submission.

bow to the inevitable

More figurative, suggesting acceptance of an unavoidable outcome.

face the music

Idiomatic expression for accepting consequences.

eat humble pie

Idiomatic expression denoting humiliation in admitting error.

raise the white flag

Figurative, suggesting surrender in a conflict or competition.

FAQs

How can I use "acknowledge defeat" in a sentence?

You can use "acknowledge defeat" to describe formally accepting loss. For example: "The candidate had to acknowledge defeat after the votes were counted."

What are some alternatives to "acknowledge defeat"?

Alternatives include "concede defeat", "admit failure", or "accept loss", depending on the context.

Is it better to "acknowledge defeat" or "recognize defeat"?

Both "acknowledge defeat" and "recognize defeat" are correct. "Acknowledge" implies a more formal or public acceptance, while "recognize" can be more internal or private.

What is the difference between "acknowledge defeat" and "surrender"?

"Acknowledge defeat" is accepting the outcome of a contest, while "surrender" implies giving up during the contest, often before it's officially over.