# acknowledgment

/ækˈnɑɫɪdʒmənt/ (US) · /ɐknˈɒlɪdʒmənt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/acknowledgment
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. admitting the truth

noun · CEFR B2

the act of admitting that something exists or is true.

For teachers: the act of recognizing the existence, truth, or validity of something.

- The government's statement was a clear acknowledgment that the policy had failed.
- The CEO's public acknowledgment of the firm's strategic errors was seen as a necessary step toward regaining investor confidence.

Usage: Often followed by a 'that' clause or the preposition 'of'.

### 2. confirming receipt

noun · CEFR B2 · Formal

a letter or message that tells you someone has received what you sent.

For teachers: a communication informing the sender that their message, document, or parcel has been received.

- I am still waiting for an acknowledgment of my job application.
- The solicitor sent a formal acknowledgment of the documents, confirming they had arrived before the legal deadline.

Usage: Commonly used in business and legal contexts.

### 3. thanks or credit

noun · CEFR B2

something you do or say to show thanks for help or to give credit.

For teachers: an expression of gratitude or a public credit given to someone for their contribution.

- The author included a long list of acknowledgments at the start of the book.
- The scientist received a special acknowledgment in the journal for her foundational research on the project.

Usage: Often used in the plural form ('acknowledgments') in books or academic papers.

### 4. digital signal

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a signal sent between computers to show that data was received correctly.

For teachers: a response (often called an ACK) sent by a receiver to indicate successful receipt of a transmission.

- The system waits for an acknowledgment from the server before sending more data.
- Network latency increased because the client failed to process the acknowledgment signals in a timely manner.

### 5. legal validation

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal · Technical

a formal statement that a legal document is real and valid.

For teachers: a formal declaration or document recognizing the fulfillment of a legal requirement.

- The deed requires an acknowledgment by a public official to be valid.
- The notary provided the necessary acknowledgment to certify that the signature on the contract was authentic.

## Examples

- I am waiting for an acknowledgment of my email.
- The author included a heartfelt acknowledgment to her research assistants in the final pages of the book.
- In legal proceedings, the formal acknowledgment of a debt can restart the statutory period during which a creditor is permitted to sue for recovery.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.