declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of
"He admitted his errors"
"She acknowledged that she might have forgotten"
report the receipt of
"The program committee acknowledged the submission of the authors of the paper"
express recognition of the presence or existence of, or acquaintance with
"He never acknowledges his colleagues when they run into him in the hallway"
"She acknowledged his complement with a smile"
"it is important to acknowledge the work of others in one's own writing"
express obligation, thanks, or gratitude for
"We must acknowledge the kindness she showed towards us"
accept (someone) to be what is claimed or accept his power and authority
"The Crown Prince was acknowledged as the true heir to the throne"
"We do not recognize your gods"
To admit the knowledge of; to recognize as a fact or truth; to declare one's belief in
"The detective acknowledged that the fingerprint found at the scene belonged to the suspect, confirming his presence."
In plain English: To acknowledge something means to admit that it is true or real and show you know about it.
"Please sign here to acknowledge that you have received your package."
Usage: Use acknowledge when you formally admit that something is true, such as accepting responsibility for an error. It differs from similar verbs like "recognize" by emphasizing the act of giving official notice rather than simply identifying someone or something familiar.
The word "acknowledge" emerged around 1553 as a blend of two Middle English verbs meaning to recognize or reveal something known. It combined the concept of knowing from Old English origins with the idea of discovery found in our modern word for knowledge, eventually traveling into standard usage without changing its core definition.