had admitted to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had admitted to" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate that someone has confessed or acknowledged something in the past, often in relation to wrongdoing or a mistake. Example: "He had admitted to making a mistake in his calculations before the final report was submitted."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

51 human-written examples

In addition, almost all referees had admitted to engaging in some form of gambling.

Wikipedia

(Faneuil had admitted to occasionally smoking marijuana).

The New Yorker

"She's looney," he had admitted to himself.

The New Yorker

Coppi had admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs, including amphetamines.

The New York Times - Sports

The police said the teenager had admitted to aiding in the attacks on MasterCard and Visa.

The New York Times

Fox Sports reported that Favre had admitted to sending the voice mails but not the pictures.

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

5 human-written examples

A neighbor told police that Kenneth had admitted to starting the fire.

Vice

The scholar Latino Latini, however, later claimed in a letter that Sigonio had admitted to the forgery on his deathbed.

Wikipedia

According to the Englishman, Rosberg had admitted to colliding with him on purpose.

BBC

Butler had admitted to twice puncturing the hose with a knife.

Huffington Post

None of the study subjects had admitted to drinking alcohol on our questionnaire.

Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had admitted to", ensure the context clearly indicates what was admitted and to whom. This adds clarity and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "had admitted to" when the action of admitting is happening in the present. Use "has admitted to" or "admits to" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had admitted to" functions as a past perfect verb phrase, indicating that an admission or confession occurred before another point in the past. Ludwig confirms this usage with numerous examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Wiki

10%

Science

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Encyclopedias

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had admitted to" is a versatile past perfect phrase used to describe a prior admission or confession, often involving acknowledgment of mistakes or previously concealed details. According to Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically sound and sees frequent usage across diverse written contexts. While alternatives like "had confessed to" or "had acknowledged" exist, the best choice depends on the specific nuance you wish to convey. Remember to use this phrase when the admission occurred before another point in the past, ensuring clarity and grammatical accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had confessed to

A more formal and often stronger term, implying guilt or wrongdoing.

had acknowledged

A broader term, suggesting recognition without necessarily implying guilt.

had conceded

Implies reluctantly admitting something, often in an argument or debate.

had avowed

Suggests a formal or emphatic declaration.

had owned up to

An informal way of saying someone took responsibility for something.

had disclosed

Implies revealing something previously hidden.

had come clean about

An informal expression for fully confessing something.

had copped to

A slang term for admitting something, often a minor offense.

had divulged

Implies revealing secret or private information.

had professed

Suggests a public declaration of belief or feeling.

FAQs

How to use "had admitted to" in a sentence?

Use "had admitted to" to describe a past action of acknowledging or confessing something. For example, "The suspect "had admitted to" the crime during the interrogation".

What can I say instead of "had admitted to"?

You can use alternatives like "had confessed to", "had acknowledged", or "had conceded" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "had admitted to" or "has admitted to"?

"Had admitted to" refers to a past action completed before another point in the past. "Has admitted to" refers to a past action with relevance to the present.

What is the difference between "had admitted to" and "admitted to"?

"Had admitted to" indicates the action was completed in the past before another action. "Admitted to" is a simple past tense and does not necessarily imply completion before another past action.