There are times when you disagree with another person. When that happens, you might have to compromise to agree to avoid conflict. That does mean you have given up or surrendered; it simply means that you’ve decided to “concede.” That said, what is the “concede” definition, and how do you use the word in sentences?
The definition of “concede” is to acknowledge, often reluctantly, as being true or just.” The word is used when you are forced to agree about something or a certain situation. It is also used when someone has an opposing opinion from the one you have but is valid.
Ready to know more about this word and everything in between? This article will detail every aspect of the word “concede” you need to know, from the definition, various meanings to example sentences. Let’s get into it.
What Is the Definition Of Concede?
Another good definition of “Concede” is “to admit defeat.” The word is mostly used when there is a competition.
It does not matter if they are boxing, soccer, singing, or any other type of competition. However, as the game continues, you might notice that your opponent is winning, and then you can “concede” defeat.
It is never easy to admit that one has lost in a competition, and when they do, it is not usually a happy announcement. In other words, admitting that your opponent has won is conceding.
Example sentences:
- Maxwell kept arguing and could not concede defeat.
- It is strange how Susan would concede defeat before the votes were counted.
- The strategy they had in place did not work, so they started to concede defeat in the war.
Different Word Forms of the Word Concede
Words come in different forms you can use in different parts of speech. Therefore, it is vital to learn about these words and how you can use them in your sentences to create new sentences easily. Here is a look at the various concede word forms, the meaning, and sentence examples.
Conceded: (verb) The word conceded is the past participle for the word concedes. It means “to admit to a wrongdoing,” “to surrender,” or “to acknowledge defeat.”
Example sentences:
- He conceded Mary the point.
- He finally conceded us the right to walk through his land.
- After a lot of push and pull from the workers, the company finally conceded a wage increase to all their workers.
Conceding: (noun) The word conceding means the act of conceding or yielding
Example sentences:
- The lawyer expected the witness to concede, but that was not the case.
- The musician shrugged and then nodded as though he was conceding the point.
What Is the Meaning Of Concede?
“Concede” also means “to grant a right or a privilege.” At times, someone can grant a privilege to a person or a group of people. A privilege is a special right or an advantage that one person or a group has.
Example sentences:
- He was to concede freedom to the colonies.
- The manager had no other choice than to concede a longer vacation for all employees.
- They all had to concede that Samantha was old enough to drive herself to and from school every day.
Synonyms and Antonyms of the Word Concede
Another best way to learn a word is by knowing the synonyms and antonyms. Knowing these words will help you improve your language and give you an easier time when communicating. Here we go!
Synonyms
- Accept (verb): to recognize as valid and correct.
- Admit: (verb) to confess or be true of the case.
- Allow: (verb) to let someone have or do something.
- Capitulate verb) to cease or resist an opponent or an unwelcome demand.
- Cede (verb) means to give up power or territory.
- Give up (verb): cease to make an effort or to admit defeat.
- Relinquish (verb) to voluntary cease to keep or give up.
Antonyms
- Deny (verb): the state that one refuses to admit the truth or existence of something.
- Gain (verb): obtain or secure something wanted or desirable.
- Retain (verb): continue to have something or to keep positions.
- Defy (verb) openly resists or refuses to obey.
Is Concede The Same As Refute?
Most people use the words concede and refute as synonyms, yet these words have different definitions and meanings. So, using them interchangeably is incorrect. Instead, the best way to understand these words and what they mean is to look at their definition and how they differ from each other.
- Concede: The definition of the word “concede” is to admit that another person is right.
- Refute: The definition of refuting is to prove that someone else is wrong about something.
From the above definition, agreeing someone is right and proving them wrong are two different scenarios. Thus, at best, these words can be the opposite of each other.
It is common for people to concede and refute issues, strategies, and ideas. That is why conceding and refuting is common when discussing certain debates in most political and social issues. But overall, the word refute is not the synonym of concede.
How to Use Concede In A Sentence?
Concede is a verb, and when using the word in a sentence, it should describe an action, state, and occurrence.
Example in sentences:
- The basketball team got scared when they saw that they would be playing against a team of tall and masculine men; they decided to concede defeat.
- Since Mary did not have as much money as Lean, she knew that she would not win the custody hearing, and so she decided to concede defeat.
- John had no choice but to concede shorter working hours for the employees.
Should Concede Be Used As A Negative Word?
The assumption most people have when they learn of the definition of conceding is that it is a negative word. But the word “concede” can also be defined as moving from non-agreement to an agreement. But in this case, the movement will be reluctant. So, when using this word in a sentence, ensure you use it in a positive setting.
Example sentences:
- I did not like the play, but I concede the cast had talent.
- Even though he lost the election, the previous school president did not want to concede his privilege.
- I was bullied a lot in high school for my weight, and each day was a never-ending debate on when I should fight and when to concede.
10 Examples Of Concede In A Sentence
Learning a new word is not easy. If you keep practicing, it will be easy to understand the word better and the best way to use it in sentences. Here are ten example sentences to start with.
- The news broadcasting company will have to concede its rights to other upcoming companies.
- Though the government tried to stop establishing independent trade unions, they had no other choice than to concede.
- After the king’s daughter was captured, our village warriors were forced to concede defeat.
- No one wanted to concede because they thought it would make them look weak.
- I will concede she has luck like a serendipity.
- I had no choice but to concede the logic of this case.
- Those who organized the strike will concede that they have not followed the proper protocol.
- After hearing both sides of the story, I concede that her husband was right.
- Samuel kept on arguing and could not concede defeat.
- After calming down, they conceded they did start fighting because their xenophobia got out of control.
- After playing the game against the computer, he had no choice but to concede defeat.
- I have no choice but to concede otherwise, the changes would be reverted.
How Do You Spell Concede?
The correct spelling of “concede” is C.O.N.C.E.D.E.
Spellings in the English language can be confusing because some prefer British English, while others opt for American English. But with the word “concede,” you will not have to worry about that since the spelling is the same.
How Do You Pronounce Concede?
The best way to spell the word “concede” is “Kuhn.seed.”
How Many Syllables Are In Concede?
The word “concede” has two syllables divided as “con-cede.” The stressed syllable of the word “concede” is “cede.”
History & Etymology Of Concede
The word “concede” is of Latin origin and is derived from “concedere.” Later the English language took the word and changed it to “concede.”
However, the word “concede” in Latin would mean “to go along” or “yield.”
When Was Concede First Used?
The word concede was first used in the English language in the 1640s.
During that time, the word meaning was “to admit as true” or “to accept or dispute a point.” It was again used in 1824 in different contexts to mean “admit defeat” in an election.
Conclusion
“Concede” is one of those words that can be used in different situations and have different meanings. So, before you start using this word, you need to understand the various meanings and the best way to use them in your context. Learning the best way to use a word or vocabulary makes you an expert to your friends or peers.
Shawn Manaher is the founder and CEO of The Content Authority. He’s one part content manager, one part writing ninja organizer, and two parts leader of top content creators. You don’t even want to know what he calls pancakes.