Admitting — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb /əd-ˈmit/ ad·mit

Meaning & Definition of Admitting

Admitting (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)
  4. to allow or permit (something, such as an answer or solution)
  5. to admit (something), to acknowledge the truth or existence of (something)

Admitting (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: acknowledging, agreeing, allowing, conceding, confessing, fessing (up), granting, owning (up to), coming clean (about)
    related: disburdening, unburdening, unloading, affirming, avowing, confirming, professing, accepting, recognizing, yielding, announcing, breaking, broadcasting, communicating, declaring, disclosing, divulging, imparting, proclaiming, publishing, revealing, spilling, telling, unveiling, betraying, blabbing, exposing, giving away, informing, leaking, ratting, squealing, talking, tattling, tipping (off), warning, wising (up), breathing, saying, whispering
    opposite: denying
    near: disallowing, disavowing, disclaiming, disowning, contradicting, disputing, gainsaying, negating, negativing, rebutting, refuting, rejecting, repudiating, concealing, covering (up), hiding, obscuring, veiling, kidding (oneself)

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

    "she was admitted to Harvard"

    similar: entering, receiving, taking
    related: entertaining, welcoming, fellowshipping, confirming, ratifying
    opposite: banning, barring
    near: declining, disallowing, disapproving, dismissing, refusing, rejecting, blackballing, blacklisting, ostracizing, banishing, deporting, exiling, expelling, ousting, throwing out

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

    "I admit to some suspicions about the new neighbors"

    similar: confessing, copping (to) (slang), fessing (up), owning (up)
    related: blabbing, talking, tattling, babbling, spilling
    near: clamming up, hushing, quieting (down), shutting up

Related Entry: Admit (verb)

Admit is a different word from Admitting. The synonyms below are for admit, not for admitting.

  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 Admitting. The synonyms below are for admit (of), not for admitting.

  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 Admitting

The most common words with a similar meaning to Admitting:

Slang: copping (to)
acknowledging, agreeing, allowing, conceding, confessing, fessing (up), granting, owning (up to), entering, receiving, taking, owning (up), coming clean (about)

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Admitting

Words with the opposite meaning of Admitting:

denying, banning, barring

Related Words for Admitting

disburdening, unburdening, unloading, affirming, avowing, confirming, professing, accepting, recognizing, yielding, announcing, breaking, broadcasting, communicating, declaring, disclosing, divulging, imparting, proclaiming, publishing, revealing, spilling, telling, unveiling, betraying, blabbing, exposing, giving away, informing, leaking

Near Antonyms of Admitting

disallowing, disavowing, disclaiming, disowning, contradicting, disputing, gainsaying, negating, negativing, rebutting, refuting, rejecting, repudiating, concealing, covering (up), hiding, obscuring, veiling, kidding (oneself), declining, disapproving, dismissing, refusing, blackballing, blacklisting, ostracizing, banishing, deporting, exiling, expelling

Word Forms of Admitting

Inflections: admitted, admitted of, admitting of, admits of, admitted to, admitting to, admits to

Origin & Etymology of Admitting

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

Frequently Asked Questions about Admitting

What does "Admitting" mean?

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

What is another word for "Admitting"?

Other words for "Admitting" include acknowledging, agreeing, allowing, conceding, confessing, fessing (up), granting and owning (up to). The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Admitting" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Admitting"?

There are 59 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Admitting". Common alternatives include acknowledging, agreeing, allowing, conceding, confessing, fessing (up), granting, owning (up to), entering and receiving.

What is the opposite of "Admitting"?

Antonyms of "Admitting" include denying, banning and barring. Near antonyms include disallowing, disavowing, disclaiming and disowning.

How do you use "Admitting" in a sentence?

Examples of "Admitting" 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 "Admitting" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Admitting" is a verb.

How do you pronounce "Admitting"?

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

What is the origin of the word "Admitting"?

"Admitting" comes from 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.