Admit — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /əd-ˈmit/ ad·mit

Meaning & Definition of Admit

Admit (verb)

  1. to allow scope for, permit
  2. to concede as true or valid
  3. to allow entry (as to a place, fellowship, or privilege)

Admit (noun)

  1. a person who is admitted into a school, hospital, etc.

Admit (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to accept the truth or existence of (something) usually reluctantly

    "the host of the talk show eventually admitted that she hadn't actually read the book"

    "you can't bring yourself to admit your mistakes"

    similar: acknowledge, agree, allow, concede, confess, fess (up), grant, own (up to), come clean (about)
    related: disburden, unburden, unload, affirm, avow, confirm, profess, accept, recognize, yield, announce, break, broadcast, communicate, declare, disclose, divulge, impart, proclaim, publish, reveal, spill, tell, unveil, betray, blab, expose, give away, inform, leak, rat, squeal, talk, tattle, tip (off), warn, wise (up), breathe, say, whisper
    opposite: deny
    near: disallow, disavow, disclaim, disown, contradict, dispute, gainsay, negate, negative, rebut, refute, reject, repudiate, conceal, cover (up), hide, obscure, veil, kid (oneself)

  2. to offer entrance (as to a place, school, or privilege) to

    "she was admitted to Harvard"

    similar: enter, receive, take
    related: entertain, welcome, fellowship, confirm, ratify
    opposite: ban, bar
    near: decline, disallow, disapprove, dismiss, refuse, reject, blackball, blacklist, ostracize, banish, deport, exile, expel, oust, throw out

  3. to make an acknowledgment of something unpleasant as true or valid

    "I admit to some suspicions about the new neighbors"

    similar: confess, cop (to) (slang), fess (up), own (up)
    related: blab, talk, tattle, babble, spill
    near: clam up, hush, quiet (down), shut up

Related Entry: Admit (of) (verb)

Admit (of) is a different word from Admit. The synonyms below are for admit (of), not for admit.

  1. to make possible especially to the exclusion of other possibilities

    "your question does not admit of a simple yes or no answer"

    similar: allow (of), permit (of)
    related: open up, favor, justify, support, sustain, validate, need, take, want, warrant
    near: close out, disallow, enjoin, exclude, forbid, negative, preclude, rule out

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Admit

The most common words with a similar meaning to Admit:

Slang: cop (to)
acknowledge, agree, allow, concede, confess, fess (up), grant, own (up to), enter, receive, take, own (up), come clean (about)

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Admit

Words with the opposite meaning of Admit:

deny, ban, bar

Related Words for Admit

disburden, unburden, unload, affirm, avow, confirm, profess, accept, recognize, yield, announce, break, broadcast, communicate, declare, disclose, divulge, impart, proclaim, publish, reveal, spill, tell, unveil, betray, blab, expose, give away, inform, leak

Near Antonyms of Admit

disallow, disavow, disclaim, disown, contradict, dispute, gainsay, negate, negative, rebut, refute, reject, repudiate, conceal, cover (up), hide, obscure, veil, kid (oneself), decline, disapprove, dismiss, refuse, blackball, blacklist, ostracize, banish, deport, exile, expel

Word Forms of Admit

Inflections: admitted, admitting

Origin & Etymology of Admit

Middle English admitten, borrowed from Anglo-French admitter, admetter, admettre, borrowed from Latin admittere "to allow entrance or approach," from ad- ad- + mittere "to release, let go, discharge, let fly, throw down, send (for a purpose)," perhaps going back to Indo-European *mei̯th2- "alternate, exchange, remove" (assuming sense shift "exchange" > "give, bestow" > "let go, send"), from whence, with varying ablaut grades, Sanskrit méthati "treats hostilely, abuses," mitháḥ "mutually, alternately," míthū "in opposed directions, wrongly," Avestan mōiθat̰ "will deprive," hǝ̄m.aibī.mōist "(s/he) joins," West Germanic *meiþ-a- "conceal, avoid" (presumably "remove" > "remove oneself"), whence Old English mīðan "to conceal, dissemble," Old Saxon miđan, Old High German mīdan "to avoid, shy away from, conceal"

First known use: 15th centuryt

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Admit

Words & Phrases Containing Admit

admit defeat, admit of, admit to

Frequently Asked Questions about Admit

What does "Admit" mean?

"Admit" means to allow scope for, permit. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to allow scope for, permit. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Admit"?

Other words for "Admit" include acknowledge, agree, allow, concede, confess, fess (up), grant and own (up to). The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Admit" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Admit"?

There are 59 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Admit". Common alternatives include acknowledge, agree, allow, concede, confess, fess (up), grant, own (up to), enter and receive.

What is the opposite of "Admit"?

Antonyms of "Admit" include deny, ban and bar. Near antonyms include disallow, disavow, disclaim and disown.

How do you use "Admit" in a sentence?

Examples of "Admit" in a sentence: "the host of the talk show eventually admitted that she hadn't actually read the book"; "you can't bring yourself to admit your mistakes"; "she was admitted to Harvard".

Is "Admit" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Admit" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Admit" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B1-level word, "Admit" is typical of Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET), IELTS band 4.0–5.0, TOEFL iBT 42–71, PTE Academic 43–58, TOEIC Listening & Reading 550+.

How do you pronounce "Admit"?

"Admit" is pronounced /əd-ˈmit/ and divided into syllables as ad·mit.