acknowledged having

USAGE SUMMARY

"acknowledged having" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when someone has admitted to possession or responsibility for something. For example, "The suspect acknowledged having stolen the valuable painting."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

He readily acknowledged having a "defective education".

The New York Times - Arts

He never acknowledged having been committed.

The New Yorker

The company acknowledged having significant labor problems.

The New York Times

Ms. Chung acknowledged having some jitters.

The New York Times

Later, he acknowledged having personally conducted two searches.

The New York Times

But at least he acknowledged having been in a race.

The New York Times

Plushenko acknowledged having jitters as he entered the Olympic rink.

The New York Times - Sports

Frommann acknowledged having ventured into politics with a certain idealism.

The New York Times - Magazine

He recently acknowledged having used performance-enhancing substances.

The New York Times - Sports

He finally acknowledged having bitten Lewis's leg during their Jan.

The New York Times - Sports

For the first time it acknowledged having killed four Americans abroad since 2009.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "acknowledged having" when you want to emphasize that someone has admitted to something, especially when there might have been an attempt to conceal it previously.

Common error

Avoid using "acknowledged having" when a simpler verb like "said" or "mentioned" would suffice. Overusing it can make your writing sound unnecessarily formal or dramatic. For example, instead of "He acknowledged having eaten lunch", use "He said he ate lunch".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "acknowledged having" functions as a gerund phrase, where "acknowledged" is a verb in the past tense and "having" is a gerund. Ludwig confirms its use, indicating that someone has admitted to performing an action or possessing a characteristic.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

98%

Formal & Business

1%

Wiki

1%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Science

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "acknowledged having" is a grammatically sound and commonly used phrase that indicates someone has admitted to something, often with a nuance of prior concealment or dispute. As Ludwig AI confirms, its primary context is in news and media, where it conveys factual information about admissions. While versatile, it's best suited for neutral to professional contexts, avoiding overuse in casual settings. For more informal scenarios, simpler alternatives like "admitted to" may be preferable. Its frequent appearance in authoritative sources like The New York Times and The Economist underscores its reliability in formal writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

admitted to having

Replaces "acknowledged" with "admitted", focusing on the act of confession.

confessed to having

Similar to "admitted to having", but implies a sense of guilt or wrongdoing.

recognized that they had

Shifts the focus to recognizing a past state or condition.

owned up to having

More informal, suggesting taking responsibility for something.

conceded that they had

Implies reluctantly admitting something.

confirmed they had

Focuses on confirming or verifying a past action.

revealed they had

Highlights the act of making something known.

disclosed having

Similar to 'revealed', but often used in more formal contexts.

avowed having

Suggests a strong and open declaration.

testified to having

Specifically refers to giving evidence or a statement under oath.

FAQs

How can I use "acknowledged having" in a sentence?

The phrase "acknowledged having" is used to indicate that someone has admitted to doing something. For example, "The athlete acknowledged having used performance-enhancing drugs."

What are some alternatives to "acknowledged having"?

Alternatives include phrases like "admitted to having", "confessed to having", or "recognized that they had", which can be used depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "acknowledged having" formal or informal?

"Acknowledged having" is generally considered a more formal phrase. In informal contexts, you might prefer using simpler alternatives like "admitted to" or "said they had".

What's the difference between "acknowledged having" and "admitted to having"?

While similar, "acknowledged having" can sometimes imply a more reluctant or formal admission than "admitted to having". "Acknowledged" often suggests the information was previously not openly known or accepted.