admit

Admit is a verb with several related meanings centered on allowing entry or acknowledging truth. In its primary sense, to admit means to allow someone or something to enter a place or to grant entry or access. A gate or ticket may admit a person; a club or hospital may admit a visitor or patient.

Admit is also used to express acknowledgment or concession. In this sense, it means to acknowledge the truth of a fact or wrongdoing. Examples include admitting a mistake, admitting that something is true, or admitting to having done something. In construction, admit can take a that-clause or a to-infinitive, and it can be followed by a gerund in different constructions. For example: He admitted that he was wrong; she admitted to stealing; or he admitted stealing the money.

The noun admission covers related ideas: the act of admitting, the permission or right to enter, and the amount charged for entry in venues such as museums or theaters. It can also refer to a statement acknowledging a fact or the process by which someone is accepted into a group, program, or institution. Admittance and entry are common synonyms, while admission often emphasizes responsibility, permission, or the acceptance process.

Admitted, the past participle of admit, can function as an adjective meaning officially recognized or acknowledged. For example, an admitted expert is someone widely regarded as having acknowledged expertise. The term appears in contexts ranging from security and hospitality to education and law.

See also: admission, admission of guilt, confession, acknowledgment.