Concede: Understanding the word for admitting a point in debate and everyday usage.

Which word refers to admitting something as true or yielding to a point?

• A. Commiserate
• B. Concede
• C. Concomitant
• D. Consummate

Answer: (B)

The word that refers to admitting something as true or yielding to a point is "concede." In various contexts, conceding involves recognizing the validity of another person's argument, acknowledging a point in a discussion, or accepting the reality of a situation, often after initial resistance. This term is particularly relevant in debates or negotiations where parties may have differing viewpoints, and one party might find it necessary to accept certain facts or reasoning put forth by the other. In contrast, "commiserate" refers to expressing sympathy or sharing sorrow with someone, which does not pertain to conceding a point. "Concomitant" signifies something that occurs at the same time or as a companion to something else, lacking any connotation of admitting or yielding. Finally, "consummate" generally means to bring something to completion or perfection, which is unrelated to the concept of acknowledging or yielding to an argument or point made by another.

Short word, big meaning: concedes the point

If you’re listening in a deposition or a courtroom, the moment when someone says, “Yes, you’re right,” is gold. It’s the point where the argument shifts, or at least softens. In the world of court reporting and the kinds of questions you’ll see in RPR-style item sets, that moment is often signaled by the word concede. The same idea can wear a few different hats, depending on the situation, which is why a precise vocabulary matters as much as a precise witness's statement.

Let me explain the four options you gave:

• Concede (B) is the one you want here. It means to admit something as true or to yield to a point in an argument. It’s not just about giving up; it’s about recognizing a fact or a valid line of reasoning, even if you started with a different view. In transcripts, you’ll see it when a party concedes that a date is correct, or that a certain event did occur, or that a piece of evidence has some merit.

• Commiserate (A) is about sympathy. If you commiserate with someone, you’re sharing in their sorrow or disappointment. It’s a relational, emotional response, not a technical or argumentative move in a discussion.

• Concomitant (C) means something that happens at the same time as something else; it’s a companion in time or circumstance. It’s a useful term in reporting, but it’s not about admitting a point or yielding in a debate.

• Consummate (D) has a couple of flavors. As a verb, it can mean to bring to completion or to fulfill. As an adjective, it describes someone who’s highly skilled or perfect in a certain craft. Neither sense directly captures the act of admitting a point or yielding to an argument.

Putting it into everyday, real-life use helps: you’re in a hearing room, and one attorney says, “The timeline you’ve presented seems solid.” The other attorney might nod, then concede, “Yes, the timeline is accurate.” That brief admission can reshape how the rest of the testimony unfolds and how the record reads.

Why these four words tend to pop up in RPR content

NCRA’s exam-style questions love nuance. They often present sentences or scenarios that hinge on the exact shade of meaning. If you can lock in the sense of concede, you can:

• Distinguish between similar verbs and adjectives quickly.

• Maintain precision in your own notes and transcripts.

• Recognize when a witness or participant is confirming a fact versus expressing sympathy or describing a concurrent event.

Here are quick, concrete examples that show these words in action, so you can hear how they land in real sentences:

• Concede in context: “After reviewing the calendar, the attorney conceded that the meeting occurred on March 3.” The key is the act of acknowledging a fact.

• Commiserate in context: “The paralegal commiserated with the client over the missed deadline.” This is about shared feeling, not about facts.

• Concomitant in context: “The rise in temperature was concomitant with increased activity at the plant.” It’s describing something that goes with something else, not deciding a point.

• Consummate in context: “She is a consummate professional—the way she handles complex court reports is calm and precise.” Or as a verb: “They consummated the agreement after both sides agreed on the final terms.” Here, the focus is on finishing or perfecting something, not on admitting a point.

Memory tricks that actually help

If these terms feel sticky, here are some practical anchors you can carry into your reading and listening:

• Concede = give in, yield, admit. The root e170—cede—hints at yielding. When you see concede, think: “I yield the point.” A quick mental image of a small nod or a hand raised in agreement can help.

• Commiserate = share the sorrow. The “miser” in commiserate can be a dead giveaway that it’s about feeling for someone, not about facts or timing.

• Concomitant = together with. The “con-” and “comiti-/mitant” echo “with” in ways you can link to “accompanying” or “happening alongside.”

• Consummate = finish to perfection. “Sum” looks like “sum up” to completion, and “consummate professional” is a common phrase you’ll hear.

A tiny, friendly detour into memory aids

• Picture concede as a door opening. A point is on the table; someone says, “You’re right about this,” and the door closes on that particular dispute.

• Picture concomitant as two dancers, side by side. They move together through the scene; one action naturally accompanies the other.

• Picture commiserate as sharing a long, familiar sigh. It’s about feeling together, not about facts.

• Picture consummate as the final brush stroke on a painting. It completes and elevates the work.

A couple of quick, transcript-friendly sentences to skim

• Concede: The witness conceded that the acceleration occurred before the stop sign was reached.

• Commiserate: The attorney commiserated with the client over the lost exhibit, acknowledging the frustration.

• Concomitant: The noise and vibration were concomitant with the heavy machinery on site.

• Consummate: The reporter noted that the attorney was a consummate professional throughout the deposition.

Why this matters for your reading and writing in this field

Language in the reporting world isn’t just about grammar; it’s about precision, tone, and clarity. A single word choice can pull a sentence toward a precise fact or away from an emotional misread. When you’re listening to testimony or reviewing an audio file, you want to capture not just what happened but the nuance of how it happened. Did a point get yielded, or was it merely acknowledged? Is a feature of the event an accompanying factor, or is it the main event itself?

In the big picture, the vocabulary you encounter in NCRA content—terms like concede and its close relatives—shapes how professional record-keeping is understood, shared, and revisited. It’s not about fancy vocabulary for its own sake; it’s about making sure the record reflects the exact stance, timing, and relationships among facts and people.

A few practical takeaways

• When you hear a speaker shift from denial or dispute to acceptance, scan for concede. It’s the clean, compact way to annotate a turning point.

• If you’re unsure which word fits, ask: Is this about admitting a fact, describing how events align, expressing sympathy, or signaling completion? The answer points to the right choice.

• Build a tiny glossary in your notes. A handful of core terms—concede, commiserate, concomitant, consummate—will keep you ready for similar items on the bag of test questions and the kind of transcripts you’ll produce daily.

A note on tone and flow

The rhythm of a transcript matters—the same way rhythm matters in spoken language. You’ll notice that conceded points can calm a heated exchange, while concomitant factors may complicate a straightforward sequence of events. The highs and lows of testimony aren’t just about facts; they’re about how those facts interlock with reactions, timings, and consequences. That’s why a well-tuned vocabulary matters in this field. It helps you tell a story that’s both accurate and easy to follow.

What to do next, in a natural, non-threatening way

• Read transcripts or deposition summaries aloud. Listen for where a single word changes the tone or the point being made.

• Create a mini-dictionary. Jot down each term with one clear example sentence. You’ll be surprised how quickly the ideas stick.

• When you hear a new word in a recording, pause, look it up, and try to rephrase it in your own words. That practice—without turning it into a big ritual—can make a real difference in fluency.

In sum

Concede is the compact, precise choice for admitting a point in a discussion. Commiserate, concomitant, and consummate each add their own shade of meaning, useful in different contexts but not interchangeable in the same sentence. For anyone shaping clear, accurate transcripts—whether you’re reading a deposition, preparing notes, or evaluating an item bank—understanding these nuances pays off. It’s a small vocabulary with a big impact, helping you capture not just what happened, but how it happened, and why it matters.

If you’re curious to explore more word pairs and the subtle ways they color court records, keep an eye on the terminology that shows up in real-world transcripts. A lot of the value in this work comes from noticing small shifts in meaning and tracing them back to the facts on the page. And when you do, you’ll find that language isn’t just a tool—it’s a partner in producing a fair, readable, and trustworthy record.