concede

concede — verb

1. to accept the truth of something after you had been resisting it or were unwilli

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

to accept the truth of something after you had been resisting it or were unwilling to do so.

例句

After seeing the evidence, Owen finally conceded that his theory was wrong.

concede + that-clause for reluctant acceptance

Even her strongest critics conceded she had done excellent work on the project.

同義詞
  • admit

    more neutral; does not carry the same sense of reluctance or prior resistance

  • acknowledge

    slightly more formal and can refer to accepting something unpleasant without prior denial

  • grant

    suggests you are allowing someone else's point out of fairness rather than being forced to

  • confess

    carries a stronger sense of guilt or wrongdoing; more personal and emotional

反義詞
  • deny

    to state that something is not true

  • dispute

    to argue against the truth of something

文法句型

concede + that-clause

concede + noun phrase

concede + direct speech

用法筆記

Frequently used with a that-clause. Often carries a tone of reluctance — the speaker is giving ground in a disagreement rather than freely volunteering the admission.

常見錯誤

❌I concede to be wrong.
✅I concede that I was wrong.
💡'concede' in this sense is followed by a that-clause, not a to-infinitive.
❌He conceded to have made a mistake.
✅He conceded that he had made a mistake.
💡use a that-clause to express the thing being admitted.

2. to stop trying to win a contest, election, game, or argument because you accept

2.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

to stop trying to win a contest, election, game, or argument because you accept the other side has beaten you.

例句

After the final votes were counted, Constanza conceded the election gracefully.

concede + election / race / contest

The chess champion refused to concede even when he had only three pieces left.

同義詞
  • surrender

    stronger and more dramatic; implies giving up completely, often in war or a serious struggle

  • yield

    suggests giving way under pressure rather than formally admitting loss

  • give up

    more informal; can refer to stopping any effort, not just in formal competition

反義詞
  • win

    to be the first or best in a competition

  • triumph

    to achieve a great victory

文法句型

concede + noun phrase (election / game / match / race)

concede + to + person

concede (no object)

用法筆記

Common in political and sporting contexts. When used transitively, the object is typically 'election', 'race', 'match', 'game', or 'defeat'. When used intransitively, the context makes it clear what is being given up.

常見錯誤

❌The team conceded from the competition after losing badly.
✅The team conceded the match after losing badly.
💡use the competition or match as a direct object, not a prepositional phrase.
❌She conceded to lose the race.
✅She conceded the race.' or 'She conceded defeat.
💡do not use 'concede' with a to-infinitive.

3. to hand over control or possession of something to another person or group, ofte

3.動詞及物B2
釋義

to hand over control or possession of something to another person or group, often against your wishes.

例句

The company conceded a 5% pay rise to the striking workers after three weeks.

concede + noun phrase + to + someone

Andrew conceded control of the family business to his younger brother.

同義詞
  • yield

    more general; can mean to produce a result as well as to give way

  • grant

    suggests a more willing or generous act; does not carry the same reluctance

  • surrender

    stronger and more final; suggests giving up completely after a struggle

  • hand over

    more informal; the object is often physical or concrete

反義詞
  • withhold

    to refuse to give something

  • keep

    to continue to hold or possess something

文法句型

concede + noun phrase + to + someone

concede + noun phrase

用法筆記

The object is typically a right, privilege, territory, possession, or position that the subject controls. The preposition 'to' introduces the recipient. Frequently implies the subject gave in under pressure rather than willingly.

常見錯誤

❌She conceded him her seat on the bus.
✅She gave up her seat on the bus for him.
💡'concede' is too formal for everyday physical objects. Use it for rights, territory, or formal positions.
❌They conceded the victory to the opponent.
✅They conceded victory to the opponent.
💡no article needed with abstract nouns like 'victory'.

4. in a sports match, to be unable to stop the opposing team from scoring a goal or

4.動詞及物B2
釋義

in a sports match, to be unable to stop the opposing team from scoring a goal or gaining a point.

例句

The home team conceded three goals in the first fifteen minutes of the match.

concede + number + goals / points

Ingrid's team conceded a penalty in the final minute and lost the game.

concede + penalty / goal / point

同義詞
  • let in

    informal; 'The goalkeeper let in three goals.'

  • allow

    more neutral; 'The defence allowed two goals.'

反義詞

文法句型

concede + number + goal(s) / point(s)

concede + goal / point + to + opponent

用法筆記

Chiefly British English. This sense is about scoring events, not about admitting overall defeat. The subject is the team or player whose defence failed. Common in football (soccer), rugby, hockey, and other point-based sports.

常見錯誤

❌The team conceded losing the game.
✅The team conceded two goals in the first half.
💡this sense is for individual scoring events; use sense 2 for admitting overall defeat.
❌We conceded three points to lose the game.
✅We conceded three goals in the first half.
💡use 'goals' or 'points' appropriate to the sport, not 'points' generically for all sports.