acknowledge、admit、confess、recognize与concede这些动词均含“承认”之意。
acknowledge ：通常指公开承认某事的真实情况或自己的过错。
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After months of widespread protests failed to budge the government, opponents acknowledge that the chances of turning the tide now are slim.
经过数月的广泛抗议未能让政府做出让步之后，反对者承认，现在扭转局势的可能性微乎其微。
——《纽约时报》
admit ：强调因外力或良心驱使或经判断而明确承认，多含不情愿或被迫意味。
- 政府高级官员承认他们还没能镇压这场暴乱。
Senior government officials admit they have not been able to subdue the mutiny.
confess ：语气较强，着重承认自己意识到的错误或罪行，含坦白忏悔的意味。
- She confessed to the murder.
她供认犯了谋杀罪。 - After hours of questioning, the suspect confessed.
经过数小时的审问后，嫌疑犯终于招供。
recognize ：作“承认”解时，系书面用词，主要指合法的或外交上的承认，也指公认。
- They recognized the need to take the problem seriously.
他们认识到需要严肃对待这个问题。 - Drugs were not recognized as a problem then.
那时候还没有把毒品看成严重问题。
concede ：指在事实与证据面前勉强或不得不承认。
- ‘Not bad,’ she conceded grudgingly.
“不错。”她勉强承认道。 - He was forced to concede (that) there might be difficulties.
他被迫承认可能有困难。
