concede the election

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "concede the election" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in the context of a political election when a candidate acknowledges defeat and formally gives up their claim to victory. Example: "After a long and contentious campaign, the candidate decided to concede the election and congratulate their opponent on the victory."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

32 human-written examples

"And she made it because she believed, and she had said during the campaign, that it is important to our democracy that whoever wins, that their opponent concede the election and be supportive of them becoming president-elect," Mook said.

Los Angeles Times

But Mr. Storobin's campaign called for Mr. Fidler to concede the election.

The New York Times

Why did President Bush wait for Senator Kerry to concede the election?

The New York Times

Mr. Davis called Mr. Schwarzenegger shortly before 10 p.m. Pacific time to concede the election.

The New York Times

The debate ends with Trump refusing to say whether he'll concede the election if he loses.

The Guardian

Al Gore should now concede the election (front page, Nov. 29).

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

24 human-written examples

In its early edition, The New York Tribune also conceded the election to Tilden.

The New York Times

Earlier Obama said: "President Jonathan has placed his country's interests first by conceding the election and congratulating president-elect Buhari on his victory.

The Guardian

Every four years the losing candidate -- whether the incumbent or a presidential hopeful -- graciously acknowledges, and concedes the election to the president-elect.

Huffington Post

On Wednesday, the president recounted, he called "a mutual friend" of his and George W. Bush's to ask the friend to pass on congratulations to the president-elect hours before Vice President Al Gore publicly conceded the election.

The New York Times

On Sunday morning, the president-elect fired off a volley of tweets, starting: "Hillary Clinton conceded the election when she called me just prior to the victory speech and after the results were in.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "concede the election" when you want to clearly and formally indicate that a candidate has acknowledged their defeat and is no longer contesting the result.

Common error

Avoid using "concede the election" loosely. This term carries the weight of formally acknowledging defeat. Prematurely using it can undermine the seriousness of the situation if results are still uncertain.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "concede the election" functions as a performative utterance, where the act of saying it accomplishes the action of conceding. As seen in Ludwig, it is used to formally acknowledge defeat in an election.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

97%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "concede the election" is a common and grammatically correct term, primarily used in news and media to describe a candidate's formal acknowledgement of defeat in an election. As stated by Ludwig AI, the phrase is usable in written English. While there are alternatives such as "acknowledge defeat in the election", the original phrase remains a widely recognized and accepted way to convey this specific action. It's important to understand the formal weight it carries and not use it prematurely. Its primary function is performative, aiming to promote a peaceful transition of power, with usage being predominantly neutral in register, as confirmed by Ludwig's analysis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

acknowledge defeat in the election

Replaces "concede" with a more descriptive phrase, emphasizing the act of acknowledging defeat.

relinquish the election

Uses "relinquish" to indicate giving up the claim to the election.

yield the election

Employs "yield" to convey surrendering or giving way in the election contest.

bow out of the election

Suggests withdrawing from the election, implying concession.

accept the election result

Focuses on accepting the outcome rather than the act of conceding.

recognize the opponent's victory

Highlights the recognition of the opponent's win.

step aside in the election

Implies a voluntary withdrawal, similar to conceding.

grant the victory to the opponent

Uses "grant" to mean formally giving the win to the other candidate.

withdraw from the election race

Focuses on the act of withdrawing from the electoral competition.

terminate the election campaign

Suggests ending the campaign, which implies an acceptance of defeat.

FAQs

What does it mean to "concede the election"?

To "concede the election" means that a candidate acknowledges their defeat and formally gives up any further claim to victory. It often involves a public statement of support for the winning candidate.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "concede the election"?

It's appropriate to use the phrase "concede the election" after the results are clear and the losing candidate has decided not to challenge the outcome. This typically happens after vote counts are finalized or legal challenges have been exhausted.

What are some alternatives to "concede the election"?

You can use alternatives like "acknowledge defeat in the election", "relinquish the election", or "accept the election result" depending on the specific context.

Is there a legal requirement to "concede the election"?

No, there is no legal obligation for a candidate to "concede the election". However, it is a traditional and expected part of the democratic process, facilitating a peaceful transition of power.