acquiescent

adjective

ac·​qui·​es·​cent ˌa-kwē-ˈe-sᵊnt How to pronounce acquiescent (audio)
: tending to accept or allow what others want or demand : inclined to acquiesce
a politician accused of being too acquiescent to the demands of special interests
acquiescently adverb

Examples of acquiescent in a Sentence

The acquiescent girl became a strong assertive woman. was not as acquiescent about sharing her room as her parents seemed to think she should be
Recent Examples on the Web Trent Lott, the Republican majority leader, summarily fired Dove and substituted a more acquiescent replacement, and the administration’s agenda proceeded on track. Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 20 Jan. 2021 Since assuming office after his third presidential bid, López Obrador has taken a pragmatic, and at times acquiescent, stance with Washington, acknowledging the crucial role of U.S. commerce and investment. Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2023 Israeli and Palestinian observers pointed to the acquiescent role played by the local Israel Defense Forces in essentially turning the other way as the settlers went on the rampage. Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2023 To wit, Ruth starts off as such an inexplicably monstrous figure — cursing, growling, demanding, hurling highball glasses at Sam’s head (and wounding him) — that her switch to more acquiescent soul-searcher feels like an impossible leap. Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2023 But its hyperlocal and acquiescent posture mutes public engagement and policy debate on India’s role as the world’s largest democracy. Anjani Jain, Fortune, 23 Mar. 2022 Israel’s entrenched system of control over the Palestinian territories and its creeping annexation of Palestinian lands, unchecked for years by an acquiescent United States, may only provoke more angry resistance. Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 21 May 2021 The fact that Raniere collected kompromat from DOS members strongly suggests that his psychological coercion techniques were not, by themselves, sufficient to keep women acquiescent. Zoë Heller, The New Yorker, 5 July 2021 Teachers unions, which have emerged as a powerful force of opposition to school reopenings in the United States, have generally been more acquiescent in Europe, pushing for safety measures rather than closures. Michael Birnbaum, Anchorage Daily News, 2 Dec. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'acquiescent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

acquiesce + -ent variant of -ant entry 2 (or borrowed from Latin acquiēscent-, acquiēscens, present participle of acquiēscere)

First Known Use

1616, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of acquiescent was in 1616

Dictionary Entries Near acquiescent

Cite this Entry

“Acquiescent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acquiescent. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

acquiescent

adjective
ac·​qui·​es·​cent ˌak-wē-ˈes-ᵊnt How to pronounce acquiescent (audio)
: acquiescing or tending to acquiesce
acquiescently adverb
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