conceded

Conceded is the past tense and past participle of the verb concede. It generally means to acknowledge something as true, valid, or justified, or to grant a point, right, or territory. Conceded can also describe surrender or yielding in a dispute, negotiation, or contest.

In usage, conceded appears in several contexts. In sports and games, to concede means to allow the opposing team to score or to acknowledge defeat, as in a coach’s decision to concede the game. In politics, diplomacy, and negotiations, to concede may involve yielding ground, making concessions, or accepting terms that are less favorable. In rhetoric and argument, a speaker might concede a point to improve credibility or to advance a broader argument, often followed by presenting a stronger counterargument.

Etymology traces conceded to the Latin concedere, meaning to grant, yield, or agree, with the form entering English through Old French concéder. The term has appeared in English since the Middle Ages and remains common in formal and informal contexts alike. Variants include concede (present), conceding (present participle), and concession (noun), the latter referring to a thing that is granted or an acknowledgment of a point in debate.

See also: concede, concession, concessionary, conceder. Conceded is often paired with phrases such as “conceded point,” “conceded territory,” or “conceding defeat,” illustrating its use in acknowledging another’s position or surrendering in various situations.