Definition

1. Verb:
   • To allow to enter; grant entry to: To permit someone or something to go into a place.
   • To permit to exercise the rights or privileges of membership: To allow someone to join an organization, institution, or profession.
   • To have room for; to hold without crowding: To be capable of containing a certain number or amount.
   • To concede as true or valid; to acknowledge: To recognize or confess the existence, reality, or truth of something, often reluctantly.
   • To afford possibility; to allow of: To be open to or permit a particular interpretation or solution (often used with "of").

Examples of Usage

• Verb:
  • This ticket will admit one adult to the show.
  • The university will admit 500 new students this fall.
  • The small theater can only admit 100 people.
  • He finally admitted his mistake.
  • The situation admits of only one explanation.

Advanced Usage

• "admit to": To confess or acknowledge something, often a fault or feeling.
  • She admitted to feeling nervous before the speech.
• "admit of": To allow the possibility of something; to be open to an interpretation.
  • The rules admit of no exceptions.
• "admit defeat": To acknowledge that one has lost or been beaten.
  • After a long struggle, he was forced to admit defeat.

Variants and Related Words

• Admission (n): The process or fact of entering or being allowed to enter a place, organization, or institution; an acknowledgment or confession.
  • Admission to the museum is free for children.
  • His admission of guilt surprised everyone.
• Admittance (n): Permission to enter a place (more formal, often physical entry).
  • They were denied admittance to the private club.
• Admissible (adj): Acceptable or valid, especially as evidence in a court of law.
  • The judge ruled the document was not admissible.

Synonyms

• Allow: To permit.
• Accept: To receive or take in.
• Acknowledge: To recognize or admit the truth of.
• Confess: To admit or state that one has committed a crime or is at fault.
• Grant entry: To give permission to enter.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Admit to: To confess or acknowledge something.
  • He admitted to taking the book without asking.
• Admit into: To allow someone to enter a place or join a group.
  • They admitted her into their confidence.

Related Idioms

• Admit the truth: To finally acknowledge what is real or factual.
  • It's time to stop denying it and admit the truth.
• Reluctantly admit: To confess or acknowledge something unwillingly.
  • She reluctantly admitted that her plan had failed.

Verb

1. serve as a means of entrance
   • This ticket will admit one adult to the show
2. have room for; hold without crowding
   • This hotel can accommodate 250 guests
   • The theater admits 300 people
   • The auditorium can't hold more than 500 people
3. give access or entrance to
   • The French doors admit onto the yard
4. afford possibility
   • This problem admits of no solution
   • This short story allows of several different interpretations
5. admit into a group or community
   • accept students for graduate study
   • We'll have to vote on whether or not to admit a new member
6. allow participation in or the right to be part of; permit to exercise the rights, functions, and responsibilities of
   • admit someone to the profession
   • She was admitted to the New Jersey Bar
7. allow to enter; grant entry to
   • We cannot admit non-members into our club building
   • This pipe admits air
8. declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of
   • He admitted his errors
   • She acknowledged that she might have forgotten