acknowledge the merits of

USAGE SUMMARY

"acknowledge the merits of" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that someone is recognizing the good qualities of something. For example: "The committee acknowledged the merits of the proposal put forward by the student representative."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Most gratifying for me was the satisfaction of having my now adult son acknowledge the merits of my co-parenting philosophy and choices.

HuffPost

Just as disappointing are the self-proclaimed feminist boys ― the ones who have listened to girls describe their frustrations about daily injustices, but in this moment chose to stay silent or only spoke to acknowledge the merits of both sides.

Huffington Post

4) I feel that the remark "the failure of existing systems to quantitatively capture gait ataxia" (in the subsection "Interlimb and whole-body coordination are specifically impaired in pcd") is a bit too strong and does not acknowledge the merits of previous quantifications (e.g. Erasmus Ladder and transparent disk treadmill, which both can also quantify interlimb coordination).

eLife

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

His commanding officer failed to acknowledge the merit of the plan and chided the candidate for not having fired a single shot.

The New Yorker

Collectively, the discrete student perspectives in this study acknowledge the merit of student educator interactions for safe experiential learning.

BMC Nursing

The university seems to have acknowledged the merits of the project in the past.

The New York Times

While Cutler acknowledges the merits of such an approach, he also sees its problems.

The New York Times - Magazine

In fairness, Mr Straw acknowledged the merits of front-line news and deplored delay and censorship that once 'helped governments to suppress the truth'.

The Guardian

Fries acknowledges the merits of this thesis, but he cautions investors against such generalizations.

Forbes

"I hope that the candidates resist the urge to engage in 'bumper sticker politics.' I hope that they'll take the opportunity to engage in some thoughtful, nuanced discussion of their respective positions, perhaps even occasionally acknowledging the merits of their opponent's perspective.

Huffington Post

Moreover, the study in question concluded that undergraduate students and residents, despite formally acknowledging the merits of the vaginal route of delivery, proved to be convinced that in practice it was not feasible: " our professors teach us that Cesarean sections should only be performed as a last resort"; nevertheless, " after we graduate, it's a whole different scenario".

BMC Medical Education

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "acknowledge the merits of" when you want to emphasize a balanced perspective, showing you understand the positive aspects even if you have reservations or criticisms.

Common error

While "acknowledge the merits of" is suitable for formal contexts, avoid using it in casual conversations. Simpler phrases like "see the good in" or "appreciate the benefits" may be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "acknowledge the merits of" functions as a verb phrase used to express recognition or acceptance of the positive qualities or advantages of something. It highlights a considered judgment where positive aspects are admitted, even if there are also drawbacks or reservations, as supported by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Academia

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "acknowledge the merits of" is a grammatically sound phrase used to express recognition of positive aspects. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage. While relatively uncommon, it appears across diverse contexts like news, science, and academia. The phrase indicates a balanced assessment and is suitable for formal communication. Alternatives include "recognize the value of" or "appreciate the benefits of" for varied emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

recognize the value of

Emphasizes the inherent worth or importance that is being recognized.

appreciate the benefits of

Highlights the advantages or positive outcomes that are being acknowledged.

see the good in

A more general phrase that implies recognizing positive aspects or qualities.

concede the strengths of

Suggests acknowledging positive attributes, especially when initially opposed.

affirm the importance of

Emphasizes the significance or relevance being acknowledged.

validate the advantages of

Confirms or supports the benefits associated with something.

take note of the virtues of

Formally recognizes and observes the positive qualities.

give credit to the positives of

Acknowledges the positive attributes and gives due recognition.

recognize the upsides of

Acknowledges the advantages or positive aspects.

admit the excellence of

Acknowledges the superior quality or standard.

FAQs

How can I use "acknowledge the merits of" in a sentence?

You can use "acknowledge the merits of" to recognize the positive qualities or advantages of something, for example: "The reviewers "acknowledge the merits of" the research despite its limitations".

What are some alternatives to "acknowledge the merits of"?

Alternatives include "recognize the value of", "appreciate the benefits of", or "see the good in", depending on the context.

Is it better to say "acknowledge the merit of" or "acknowledge the merits of"?

"Acknowledge the merit of" and "acknowledge the merits of" are both grammatically correct, but "acknowledge the merits of" is more common when referring to multiple positive aspects.

What's the difference between "acknowledge the merits of" and "recognize the benefits of"?

"Acknowledge the merits of" implies a more comprehensive recognition of positive qualities, while "recognize the benefits of" focuses specifically on the advantages or positive outcomes. The nuances are very close anyway.