acquiescence

noun

ac·​qui·​es·​cence ˌa-kwē-ˈe-sᵊn(t)s 

1

: passive acceptance or submission : the act of acquiescing or the state of being acquiescent

I was surprised by his acquiescence to their demands.

2

: an instance of acquiescing

Synonyms

• biddability
• compliance
• compliancy
• deference
• docility
• obedience
• submissiveness

Examples of acquiescence in a Sentence

good manners demanded our cheerful acquiescence to our host's plans for dinner

Recent Examples on the Web

In short order, though, she was tasked with adjudicating the initial collection of evidence from Mar-a-Lago, earning a rebuke from the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals for her acquiescence to arguments made by Trump’s legal team. —Philip Bump, Washington Post, 15 July 2024

Charting a middle path between aggression and acquiescence holds the best hope of limiting the risk of a conflict in the South China Sea. —Ryan Hass, Foreign Affairs, 9 July 2024

This is distinct from power, Caesar, the external authority that also constrains our ability to act, but does so forcefully and does not require acquiescence, but simply constrains us by using law or power or prison. —Robert Sirico, National Review, 24 June 2024

For Yerevan, Azerbaijan’s seizure of the territory last fall, with Russian acquiescence, became the last straw. —Thomas De Waal, Foreign Affairs, 3 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, from acquiescer "to acquiesce" + -ence -ence

First Known Use

1615, in the meaning defined at sense 1