acknowledgement of guilt

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "acknowledgement of guilt" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in legal or psychological contexts to refer to the recognition or admission of one's wrongdoing or culpability. Example: "The defendant's acknowledgement of guilt played a significant role in the court's decision."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

The poignant holocaust memorial in Berlin (next to the Brandenberg Gate) is a stunning acknowledgement of guilt planted right in the city centre.

The Guardian

"Today's acknowledgement of guilt by the trust does little by way of justice against those individuals who permitted such unsafe practices to continue for so long".

BBC

"No aspect of this difficult decision should be construed as an acknowledgement of guilt.

Vice

Returning the money is an acknowledgement of guilt," she said, denying that the issue reflects poorly on the RNC.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

In other words, the crux of this trial will basically be a long and legal reenactment of the final standoff in Reservoir Dogs, with Bulger, the FBI, and former mobsters Steve "the Rifleman" Flemmi, John Martorano, and Kevin Weeks pointing bloody accusations at one another while still all collectively admitting some acknowledgements of guilt of their own.

Vice

What is missing in the discussion of these Bayesian measures is any acknowledgement that the posterior probability of guilt, and consequently the information gain curves, also depends on the underlying ability of witnesses to discriminate guilty from innocent suspects (d′) in each task.

Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications

There is no presumption of guilt or innocence either way in such a decision, simply the acknowledgement that this summer England have to try to win a tournament and to give themselves the best chance of doing so they have to divest themselves of the baggage of the serious allegations against Terry.

Independent

It took six weeks to get an acknowledgement and another three months to receive a cheque for £500 with no admission of guilt or apology or explanation for the discrepancy between the amount estimated by the two departments... my experience with Anglian Water was quite different.

The Guardian - Money

House of guilt.

The New Yorker

Guilt and the provability of guilt do not always coincide.

The New York Times

No signs of guilt".

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "acknowledgement of guilt", ensure the context clearly indicates that the person or entity is admitting responsibility for a specific action or event. This phrase is often used in legal, ethical, or moral discussions.

Common error

Avoid using "acknowledgement of guilt" when merely indicating awareness of a situation without admitting responsibility. For example, saying "He has an acknowledgement of the problem" is different from saying "He made an "acknowledgement of guilt" in the matter."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "acknowledgement of guilt" functions as a noun phrase. It typically acts as the subject or object of a sentence, representing the recognition or admission of one's culpability. Ludwig shows examples where it appears in contexts relating to legal proceedings and moral responsibility.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

20%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "acknowledgement of guilt" is a noun phrase indicating the recognition and acceptance of responsibility for wrongdoing. Ludwig's analysis shows it appears primarily in News & Media contexts. While grammatically correct, its usage is infrequent and requires a clear context to ensure the admission of guilt is accurately conveyed. Related phrases include "admission of guilt" and "acceptance of responsibility". Ludwig AI deems the phrase grammatically correct, further validating its proper usage in English writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

acknowledgement of wrongdoing

Similar to "acknowledgement of guilt" but focuses on the wrong act rather than the emotion.

admission of guilt

Focuses more directly on the act of admitting guilt.

confession of guilt

Implies a more formal or religious admission of guilt.

acceptance of responsibility

Broader term that may or may not include an admission of guilt, but focuses on taking accountability.

avowal of culpability

A more formal and legalistic way of expressing guilt.

declaration of fault

Emphasizes the admission of being at fault or making a mistake.

plea of guilty

Specifically used in a legal context to indicate a formal admission of guilt in court.

bearing the blame

Focuses on accepting the burden of blame without necessarily admitting guilt directly.

owning up to wrongdoing

Informal phrase emphasizing the act of admitting to having done something wrong.

taking the rap

Very informal idiom for accepting blame, often for someone else's actions.

FAQs

What's the difference between "acknowledgement of guilt" and "admission of guilt"?

While both phrases are similar, "acknowledgement of guilt" may imply a more passive recognition, while "admission of guilt" suggests a more active and explicit declaration.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "acknowledgement of guilt"?

It's appropriate when someone or an entity recognizes and accepts responsibility for wrongdoing, whether in a legal, ethical, or personal context.

What are some situations where "acknowledgement of guilt" might be expected?

Situations include legal proceedings, corporate responsibility statements, or personal apologies where accepting blame is necessary for resolution or reconciliation.

Can "acknowledgement of guilt" be implied rather than explicitly stated?

While a direct "statement of guilt" is clearest, "acknowledgement of guilt" can sometimes be inferred from actions or statements that suggest acceptance of responsibility without explicitly saying "I am guilty."