Quick Answer
Acknowledgment is the preferred spelling in standard US English. Acknowledgement is also a correct spelling, but it is more commonly associated with British English.
The two words have the same pronunciation and meanings. The only difference is the extra e before -ment.
For an American audience, write:
We received an acknowledgment of your application.
For a document following British spelling, write:
We received an acknowledgement of your application.
Both forms appear in major dictionaries, but Merriam-Webster lists acknowledgment as the primary US form.
Acknowledgment Or Acknowledgement At A Glance
| Feature | Acknowledgment | Acknowledgement |
| Meaning | Recognition, admission, thanks, or confirmation | The same |
| Pronunciation | The same | The same |
| US English | Preferred | Accepted variant, but less typical |
| British English | Recognized | Commonly preferred |
| Singular | acknowledgment | acknowledgement |
| Plural | acknowledgments | acknowledgements |
| Best choice for a US website | Acknowledgment | Usually avoid unless required by house style |
| Best choice for a British-style document | May be accepted | Acknowledgement |
What Is The Difference Between Acknowledgment And Acknowledgement?
There is no difference in meaning, grammar, tone, or pronunciation. They are regional spelling variants of the same noun.
The difference is visible in the ending:
- acknowledgment drops the final e from acknowledge before adding -ment
- acknowledgement keeps the e
In standard American publishing, acknowledgment is usually the expected form. In British-style writing, acknowledgement is common.
Because dictionaries recognize both, using the less common regional form is not automatically a spelling error. It may, however, look inconsistent with the rest of the document.
Which Spelling Should You Use In US English?
Use acknowledgment for writing aimed at American readers.
This includes most:
- US websites and blogs
- American school assignments
- business emails and reports
- books published in US English
- legal and administrative documents
- resumes, cover letters, and professional profiles
- academic papers following an American style guide
Examples:
- The company sent an acknowledgment of the complaint.
- Her award was an acknowledgment of years of public service.
- Please provide written acknowledgment that you received the notice.
- The report contains an acknowledgment of its limitations.
The MLA Style Center also uses acknowledgment and recommends making spelling choices consistently.
Is Acknowledgement Wrong In American English?
No. Acknowledgement is a recognized variant, including in American dictionaries. Merriam-Webster lists it as a variant of acknowledgment, and Cambridge presents both spellings.
However, acknowledgment remains the safer editorial choice for a US audience because it matches the dominant American convention.
Consider the difference between correctness and preference:
- Correct: Both spellings are recognized.
- Preferred in US English: Acknowledgment.
- Preferred in many British contexts: Acknowledgement.
An editor may change acknowledgement to acknowledgment in an American document, not because the first form has a different meaning, but because the publication follows US house style.
What Does Acknowledgment Mean?
An acknowledgment is an act or statement that recognizes, accepts, confirms, or gives credit for something. The exact meaning depends on context.
Recognition Or Admission
It can mean accepting that a fact, problem, or situation exists.
- His apology included an acknowledgment of the harm he had caused.
- The revised plan shows an acknowledgment of the budget problem.
- There was no public acknowledgment of the error.
Recognition Of Work Or Achievement
It can refer to credit or favorable recognition.
- The promotion was an acknowledgment of her strong performance.
- He received little acknowledgment for his contribution.
- The ceremony included an acknowledgment of the volunteers.
An Expression Of Thanks
It can describe a statement of gratitude for help or support.
- The author included an acknowledgment of her research assistants.
- The report contains an acknowledgment of the foundation’s support.
When referring to the formal section in a book, thesis, or report, the plural is especially common:
- Read the author’s acknowledgments at the end of the book.
Confirmation Of Receipt
In business and administrative communication, it can mean a message confirming that something was received.
- You will receive an email acknowledgment after submitting the form.
- The office sent an acknowledgment of receipt.
- We have not yet received an acknowledgment of the payment.
Major dictionaries document these related senses, including recognition, thanks, and confirmation of receipt.
Acknowledgment Or Acknowledgement In Academic Writing
The correct spelling depends on the required language style.
Use Acknowledgments as the section heading when:
- the paper follows US English
- the university requires American spelling
- the journal uses a US style guide
Use Acknowledgements when:
- the institution follows British spelling
- the publisher specifically requires that form
- the rest of the document consistently uses British conventions
Examples:
US Style
Acknowledgments
I thank Dr. Elena Torres for her guidance and the university laboratory for providing access to its equipment.
British Style
Acknowledgements
I thank Dr Elena Torres for her guidance and the university laboratory for providing access to its equipment.
Do not choose the spelling based only on your physical location. Follow the university, journal, publisher, or department’s stated requirements.
Should Acknowledgments Be Singular Or Plural?
Both forms are possible, but they are used differently.
Use the singular acknowledgment for one act, statement, or confirmation:
- The email served as an acknowledgment of receipt.
- She offered an acknowledgment of her mistake.
Use the plural acknowledgments for multiple expressions of thanks or for the conventional section of a book or academic work:
- The author thanked her editors in the acknowledgments.
- His name appeared in the thesis acknowledgments.
Cambridge defines acknowledgments as the section in which a writer names people or works that helped with a publication.
Countable And Uncountable Uses
Acknowledgment may be countable or uncountable.
Countable Use
A specific message, statement, or act can be counted:
- We received an acknowledgment.
- The speaker made three acknowledgments during the ceremony.
Uncountable Use
General recognition may be treated as an abstract idea:
- Her work received little acknowledgment.
- The proposal gained widespread acknowledgment from industry leaders.
Adding an is appropriate only when the sentence refers to one identifiable act, message, or statement.
The Related Verb Forms
The noun may lose the e in its preferred American spelling, but the verb forms do not.
| Form | Correct Spelling |
| Base verb | acknowledge |
| Third-person singular | acknowledges |
| Past tense | acknowledged |
| Past participle | acknowledged |
| Present participle | acknowledging |
| Preferred US noun | acknowledgment |
| Common British noun | acknowledgement |
Correct:
- Please acknowledge this message.
- She acknowledged the mistake.
- The company is acknowledging the contributions of its employees.
Incorrect:
- acknowlege
- acknowleged
- acknowlegement
- acknoledgment
The spelling acknowledged keeps the e because it is a form of the verb acknowledge, not the noun acknowledgment.
Common Mistakes And Corrections
Treating One Spelling As Universally Incorrect
Incorrect claim:
Acknowledgement is always misspelled.
Better explanation:
Acknowledgement is a recognized spelling commonly used in British English, while acknowledgment is preferred in US English.
Mixing Regional Spellings
Inconsistent:
The acknowledgment page contains several acknowledgements.
Consistent US style:
The acknowledgments page contains several acknowledgments.
Consistent British style:
The acknowledgements page contains several acknowledgements.
Removing The E From The Verb
Incorrect:
She acknowleged the complaint.
Correct:
She acknowledged the complaint.
Using The Singular For A Section Heading
Possible but less conventional:
Acknowledgment
More common for a section thanking several contributors:
Acknowledgments
Capitalizing The Word In Ordinary Sentences
Incorrect:
We received an Acknowledgment of the request.
Correct:
We received an acknowledgment of the request.
Capitalize it when it begins a sentence or appears as an official heading, title, or label.
Examples In Different Contexts
Business Communication
- This email is an acknowledgment of your order.
- Please send written acknowledgment of the revised terms.
- The customer received an automated acknowledgment within minutes.
Academic Writing
- The article includes an acknowledgment of earlier research.
- The funding agency must be named in the acknowledgments.
- Her dissertation contains a brief Acknowledgments section.
Recognition And Credit
- The award was an acknowledgment of his leadership.
- The volunteers received public acknowledgment for their work.
- She wanted acknowledgment, not financial compensation.
Admission Of A Fact
- His statement contained no acknowledgment of responsibility.
- The policy change was an acknowledgment that the earlier system had failed.
- A sincere apology requires an acknowledgment of the harm done.
British-Style Examples
- The university sent an acknowledgement of the application.
- The author thanked her colleagues in the acknowledgements.
- His statement included an acknowledgement of the problem.
How To Remember The US Spelling
Use this simple memory aid:
American acknowledgment is the shorter spelling.
Both words are long, but the standard American form removes one e:
- acknowledge
- acknowledgment
Remember that this is a mnemonic for this word, not a universal rule governing every noun ending in -ment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are acknowledgment and acknowledgement both correct?
Yes. Both spellings are recognized forms of the same noun. They have identical meanings and pronunciation. Acknowledgment is preferred in standard US English, while acknowledgement is common in British English. A publication or institution may require one form through its house style.
Which spelling is correct in American English?
Acknowledgment is the preferred American spelling. It drops the e before the suffix -ment. Although acknowledgement is recognized as a variant, American editors generally choose acknowledgment for consistency with US spelling conventions.
Which spelling should I use in a thesis?
Follow your university or department’s required style. Use Acknowledgments for a thesis written in US English and Acknowledgements for one following British spelling. The institution’s official guidelines take priority over general regional advice.
Is the plural acknowledgments or acknowledgements?
Both are correct within their respective spelling styles. Acknowledgments is the preferred US plural. Acknowledgements is common in British writing. Use the same spelling convention throughout the document.
Why does acknowledgment lose the e?
The preferred American noun is formed by adding -ment to acknowledge and dropping the final e. The alternative spelling, acknowledgement, retains it. This difference does not affect pronunciation or meaning.
Does acknowledged also lose the e?
No. The correct past-tense and past-participle form is acknowledged. The e is retained in the verb forms acknowledge, acknowledged, and acknowledging. Only the preferred American noun acknowledgment drops it.
Is one spelling more formal than the other?
No. Neither spelling is more formal. Both can appear in academic, business, legal, and professional writing. The choice reflects regional or institutional spelling style, not a difference in tone.
Should the section in a US book be called Acknowledgment or Acknowledgments?
Acknowledgments is usually the more natural heading because the section normally thanks several people or organizations. A singular heading may be appropriate when the publication contains only one specific acknowledgment, but the plural is conventional.
Conclusion
Acknowledgment and acknowledgement are two spellings of the same noun. They share the same pronunciation and can mean recognition, admission, thanks, credit, or confirmation that something was received.
Use acknowledgment for standard US English. Use acknowledgement when following British spelling or a house style that requires it. For books, theses, and research papers, the corresponding plural headings are Acknowledgments in US style and Acknowledgements in British style.
When a publication, school, employer, or client provides its own spelling requirements, follow those requirements and keep the chosen form consistent throughout the document.
