admit in principle

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "admit in principle" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when acknowledging a concept or idea as valid or acceptable in a general sense, even if there are specific details that may need further discussion or clarification. Example: "While we may not agree on all the specifics, we can admit in principle that the proposal has merit."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

For Habermas, reasonable political discourse must at least begin with the supposition that legal questions admit in principle of single right answers (1996c, 1491 95), or at least a set of discursively valid answers on which a fair compromise, acceptable to all parties, is possible.

SEP

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

At the same time, the miners, while remaining behind the strike, do not want violence either — they simply want a wage increase which even the government admits in principle is justified.

The New York Times

Although confessions were commonly admitted in criminal prosecutions, there was a growing respect for the principle that forcing suspected criminals to incriminate themselves violated fundamental human rights.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Indeed, elementary arguments show that a classical solution not always exists already for (c=0), and one should in principle admit discontinuous solutions which satisfy the equation in a suitable weak sense, as was observed, e.g., in [8, 9].

Boundary Value Problems

Women were admitted in 1969.

Encyclopedia Britannica

If they have discarded it, they thereby admit that, on principle, it ought not to be in ours.

The New Yorker

Whereas the priestly Sadducees taught that the written Torah was the only source of revelation, the Pharisees admitted the principle of evolution in the Law: men must use their reason in interpreting the Torah and applying it to contemporary problems.

Encyclopedia Britannica

But a decision in principle to admit a Muslim country that has both a large and growing population and a growing economy would cement the renewed dynamism that this weekend's eastward enlargement should import into the European Union.If anything can save the Union from lapsing into tired obsolescence, it is its enlargement to the east and south-east.

The Economist

Other countries have admitted the principle.

The Guardian - Arts

Roger Wallis, chairman of the Swedish society for popular music composers, said he supports such fees in principle but admitted that fees on multipurpose computers will run into consumer opposition.

The New York Times

He likes wind energy in principle and admits windswept uplands like the Dales would - in a purely technical sense - be ideal for rows of turbines.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "admit in principle" when you want to convey agreement with the general idea but reserve judgment on specific details or practical implications. This signals openness to the concept while maintaining a cautious approach.

Common error

Avoid using "admit in principle" when you fully agree with all aspects of the idea. This phrase implies a degree of hesitation or reservation, so using it in situations of complete agreement can be misleading.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "admit in principle" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying the verb. Ludwig examples show that it often introduces a caveat or reservation regarding full acceptance. Ludwig AI considers the phrase grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Encyclopedias

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "admit in principle" signifies a qualified agreement, acknowledging the validity or merit of an idea or concept in a general sense, without necessarily endorsing all of its practical implications. As Ludwig highlights, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in written English, conveying a nuanced stance between full acceptance and outright rejection. The analysis of the examples underscores its presence across diverse contexts, especially News & Media, Science, and Encyclopedias, marking it as suitable for formal, neutral, and informative discourse. Therefore, the phrase allows writers to express agreement with the general idea of something but reserves judgment on specific details or practical implications.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Acknowledge conceptually

Replaces "admit" with "acknowledge" and "in principle" with "conceptually", focusing on the theoretical acceptance.

Accept in theory

Substitutes "admit" with "accept" and "in principle" with "in theory", highlighting theoretical agreement.

Grant hypothetically

Uses "grant" instead of "admit" and "hypothetically" instead of "in principle", emphasizing the conditional nature of the acceptance.

Concede conditionally

Replaces "admit" with "concede" and "in principle" with "conditionally", stressing the limitations of the agreement.

Allow in abstract

Substitutes "admit" with "allow" and "in principle" with "in abstract", indicating a general permission rather than a specific endorsement.

Recognize as a possibility

Rephrases the entire expression to focus on recognizing a potential outcome or idea.

Acknowledge the validity

Replaces "admit in principle" with a more formal acknowledgement of validity but is less nuanced.

Accept the premise

Focuses on accepting the foundational idea or premise, rather than agreeing with all implications.

Admit as a possibility

Replaces "in principle" with "as a possibility", focusing on the potential rather than complete acceptance.

Allow theoretically

Uses "allow" and "theoretically", shifting the emphasis to a theoretical permission.

FAQs

How can I use "admit in principle" in a sentence?

You can use "admit in principle" to express agreement with the general idea of something while still having reservations about the specifics. For example: "While we may not agree on all the details, we can "admit in principle" that the proposal has merit."

What does "admit in principle" mean?

"Admit in principle" means to accept an idea or concept in a general sense, even if you have reservations about the details or practical implications.

What can I say instead of "admit in principle"?

You can use alternatives like "acknowledge conceptually", "accept in theory", or "concede conditionally" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "agree in principle" instead of "admit in principle"?

While similar, "agree in principle" is more common and generally implies stronger support than "admit in principle". "Admit in principle" suggests a more reluctant or qualified acceptance.