acknowledgment
acknowledgment — noun
- acknowledgmentsingular
- acknowledgmentsplural
1. Accepting that a statement, situation, or fact is real or correct — especially w
Accepting that a statement, situation, or fact is real or correct — especially when doing so requires honesty about something you might prefer to ignore.
Sana's acknowledgment of her mistake impressed the whole team.
acknowledgment + of + noun phrase for accepting a fault
The mayor's report contained a quiet acknowledgment that the project costs had gone far over budget.
acknowledgment + that-clause for admitting an unwelcome fact
For years critics dismissed the theory, but now there is growing acknowledgment among experts.
Leo nodded in acknowledgment when the teacher pointed out the error in his calculation.
- admission
stronger — often implies the fact is embarrassing or shameful
- recognition
broader — can mean seeing value in something, not just accepting truth
- acceptance
more emotional — suggests willingness to deal with the fact
- denial
refusing to accept that something is true
文法句型
acknowledgment + of + noun phrase
acknowledgment + that-clause
in acknowledgment
用法筆記
Frequently uncountable. Unlike 'admission', which often carries a sense of guilt, acknowledgment is neutral — you can acknowledge a fact without accepting blame.
常見錯誤
2. A gift, payment, or kind gesture offered in return for assistance someone has gi
A gift, payment, or kind gesture offered in return for assistance someone has given you or as a way of expressing your gratitude.
The charity sent Bao a small gift as an acknowledgment of his generous donation.
as an acknowledgment of — common prepositional pattern
Piotr received a bottle of wine as acknowledgment for helping to organize the conference.
as acknowledgment (uncountable) + for + reason
The volunteers were given certificates of acknowledgment at the end of the project.
Lucía sent flowers to the nurses as a small acknowledgment of their hard work.
文法句型
as (an) acknowledgment
acknowledgment + for + noun
a small/large acknowledgment
用法筆記
Both countable (a small acknowledgment) and uncountable (as acknowledgment) uses are common. The uncountable form often appears with no article after 'as'.
3. A letter, email, or other message that tells someone you have received their app
A letter, email, or other message that tells someone you have received their application, payment, order, or other item.
The company sent an automatic acknowledgment after Amihan submitted her application online.
automatic acknowledgment — common for digital receipts
Please sign this letter as an acknowledgment that you have received the package in good condition.
as an acknowledgment that-clause for confirming receipt
Joshua called the hotel because he never received an acknowledgment of his booking.
The lawyer asked for a written acknowledgment before releasing the signed documents.
- receipt
narrower — simply confirms arrival without the formal tone of 'acknowledgment'
- confirmation
emphasizes that everything is correct, not just received
文法句型
acknowledgment + of + noun (receipt/application/order)
send/receive an acknowledgment
automatic acknowledgment
用法筆記
In business contexts, the countable form is standard ('send an acknowledgment'). The acknowledgment typically includes a reference number or date so the sender can track their request.
常見錯誤
4. The part of a book, usually placed near the front or back, in which the writer e
The part of a book, usually placed near the front or back, in which the writer expresses thanks to individuals or organizations that contributed to the work.
In the acknowledgments of her first novel, Adaeze thanked her editor and her family.
in the acknowledgments of + book title — locative pattern
Hugo found his name listed in the acknowledgments of a textbook he had proofread.
The author's acknowledgments ran for four pages and mentioned over fifty people and organizations.
Reuben wrote a warm acknowledgment to his former professor in the book's preface.
文法句型
in the acknowledgments
write/mention in the acknowledgments
用法筆記
Almost always used in the plural form 'acknowledgments' when referring to the section. The singular 'acknowledgment' is possible for a single expression of thanks within that section.
常見錯誤
5. Formal or public recognition that someone has done something well, achieved some
Formal or public recognition that someone has done something well, achieved something important, or made a significant contribution.
Rania received an award in acknowledgment of twenty years of service at the hospital.
in acknowledgment of + achievement — formal recognition pattern
The young scientist finally gained international acknowledgment for her breakthrough in cancer research.
international acknowledgment — scope of recognition
Sivan's innovative building design earned him public acknowledgment from architects around the world.
The rescue team's bravery deserves far more acknowledgment than it has received from the authorities.
- recognition
nearly interchangeable; 'recognition' is slightly more common in everyday speech
- credit
emphasizes giving someone their due for a specific contribution
- praise
more emotional and less formal; can be spoken rather than institutional
- ignorance
deliberate or careless failure to recognize someone's work
文法句型
in acknowledgment of
gain/receive/deserve acknowledgment
international/public acknowledgment
用法筆記
Uncountable in this sense — 'acknowledgment' without an article. The phrase 'in acknowledgment of' is the most common prepositional pattern. Distinguish from sense 1 (ACCEPT TRUTH), where the focus is on accepting facts; here the focus is on praising achievement.