concession

noun

con·​ces·​sion kən-ˈse-shən 

plural concessions

1

a

: the act or an instance of conceding (as by granting something as a right, accepting something as true, or acknowledging defeat)

The union will seek further concessions before accepting the contract.

b

: the admitting of a point claimed in argument

2

: something conceded or granted:

a

: acknowledgment, admission

b

: something done or agreed to usually grudgingly in order to reach an agreement or improve a situation

The ending of the movie was changed as a concession to the American audience's sensibilities.

c(1)

: a grant of land or property especially by a government in return for services or for a particular use

(2)

: a right to undertake and profit by a specified activity

a concession to drill for oil

(3)

: a lease of a portion of premises for a particular purpose

also : the portion leased or the activities carried on

3

a

: a small business or shop where things are sold in a public place (such as a sports stadium or theater)

The theater had real Raisinets at the concession, so I got some of those, too.

—Neal Fandek

… Billie's visiting with her father, and I'm standing alone at the concession stand, buying my butterless corn.

—Carrie Fisher

b

concessions plural : things sold at such a business

Spectators spend an average of $5 per game on concessions.

—Jack Gallagher

concessional

kən-ˈsesh-nəl 

-ˈse-shə-nᵊl

adjective

concessionary

kən-ˈse-shə-ˌner-ē 

adjective

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Meanings of Concession

Concession carries two very distinct meanings in English. It is commonly used to indicate something that has been conceded (as when the politician who loses a race gives a concession speech, or when someone makes a concession in an argument). In a completely different context, the word may be found in the phrase concession stand. Where does this last use come from? Were concession stands originally set up to settle arguments or elections? Hardly. The concession in concession stand denotes “a usually exclusive right to undertake and profit by a specified activity.” The phrase is first recorded in a classified ad seeking someone to work at a booth at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.

Synonyms

• negotiation
• compromise

Examples of concession in a Sentence

In the big pristine forests of the Congo Basin, governments are selling logging and mining concessions to get money … —Jeff Goodell, Rolling Stone, 15 Nov. 2007

With him he carried a secret mandate from Prince Gauda, promising all sorts of concessions in Numidia once he was its king. —Colleen McCullough, The First Man in Rome, (1990) 1991

We sang exactly in the same range. There was never a concession that had to be made musically because our ranges were so totally compatible. —Rosemary Clooney, quoted by Joe Smith in Off the Record, 1988

As a concession to her debility she lay on an aluminum chaise longue … —John Updike, New Yorker, 23 May 1988

We are waiting for his concession of the election.

The candidate made an emotional concession speech when it was clear that he had lost.

The strikers have won some important concessions from the company.

Recent Examples on the Web

Many are signaling a willingness to dig in during this round of funding negotiations after many, including Schumer, got blowback from the Democratic base for delivering the votes to offset a March shutdown without securing any substantial GOP concessions. —Allison Pecorin, ABC News, 12 Sep. 2025

Senator John Fetterman, who voted in March to avert a shutdown, told HuffPost that forcing a shutdown to win concessions would be a mistake. —Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025

The move from Upton Park to the London Stadium in 2016, the anger at how the board is handling the club and the controversy over concession tickets are some of the mitigating factors behind the discontent. —Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025

Along with the rides, festivalgoers have access to select concessions, shopping, bathrooms and shaded areas inside the gates at Kentucky Kingdom. —Kirby Adams, Louisville Courier Journal, 11 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English concessyon, from Anglo-French concessioun, from Latin concession-, concessio, from concedere to concede

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for concession

• accession
• aggression
• compression
• confession
• depression
• digression
• discretion
• expression
• impression
• obsession
• oppression
• possession

Kids Definition

concession

noun

con·​ces·​sion kən-ˈsesh-ən 

1

: the act or an instance of conceding

2

: something conceded or granted

3

: a special right or privilege given by an authority

a concession to sell souvenirs

a mining concession

Legal Definition

concession

noun

con·​ces·​sion

1

: an act or instance of conceding or yielding

2

: something conceded: as

a

: acknowledgment, admission

b

: something granted especially as an inducement (as to enter into an agreement)

c

: a grant of real property especially by a government in return for services or for a particular use (as settlement)

d

: a right to undertake a specified activity for profit on another's real property

a logging concession

e

: a lease that grants a right to engage in a profitable activity on another's real property

also : the property or portion of the property subject to such a lease