Word for change of opinion

What is the word for “changing one’s opinion”?

I’m looking for something similar to concede, but that implies that the person knew the right answer all along but was just pretending that the answer was something else. What if I want to imply that the person was sure of something, but something changed what he thought?

More specifically, the sentence I’m writing is

He thought this . . . but after being criticized, he __ that the critics were correct".

It’s actually a negative effect, his way of thinking permanently changed due to criticism (and I’m trying to say his original opinion was better).

Solution 1:

Not a word, but a phrase: "saw the light"

edit (after comment by OP)

Submit (to), then, or "knuckle under"

Solution 2:

A few options come to mind:

"he thought this... but after being criticized, he __ that the critics were correct"

• realized
• agreed
• concurred
• admitted
• was persuaded