consent

verb

con·sent | \ kən-ˈsent

consented; consenting; consents

Definition of consent

(Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

1 : to give assent or approval : agree consent to being tested She consented to our request.

2 archaic : to be in concord in opinion or sentiment

consent

noun

Definition of consent (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : compliance in or approval of what is done or proposed by another : acquiescence he shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties — U.S. Constitution

2 : agreement as to action or opinion specifically : voluntary agreement by a people to organize a civil society and give authority to the government

Other Words from consent Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about consent

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Choose the Right Synonym for consent

Verb

assent, consent, accede, acquiesce, agree, subscribe mean to concur with what has been proposed. assent implies an act involving the understanding or judgment and applies to propositions or opinions. voters assented to the proposal consent involves the will or feelings and indicates compliance with what is requested or desired. consented to their daughter's going accede implies a yielding, often under pressure, of assent or consent. officials acceded to the prisoners' demands acquiesce implies tacit acceptance or forbearance of opposition. acquiesced to his boss's wishes agree sometimes implies previous difference of opinion or attempts at persuasion. finally agreed to come along subscribe implies not only consent or assent but hearty approval and active support. subscribes wholeheartedly to the idea

Examples of consent in a Sentence

Verb

He was reluctant at first but finally consented. refused to consent to the marriage

Noun

He did not give his consent for the use of his name in the advertisement. No one may use the vehicle without the consent of the owner.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Signing on the dotted line of a loan agreement is a responsibility – a consenting responsibility. — Alyssa Ahlgren, Twin Cities, "Alyssa Ahlgren: Canceling student loan debt is regressive, among other problems," 3 July 2019 The woman who said that anything consenting adults do in the privacy of their own bedrooms is OK. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Column: Why sex expert Dr. Ruth Westheimer is the gift that keeps on giving," 10 June 2019 Bahrain, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, the other countries boycotting Qatar in the dispute, have not consented to the court's jurisdiction, though the UAE has, Doha said. — Jon Gambrell, Fox News, "UAE offers its defense in Qatar lawsuit at UN high court," 28 June 2018 The app does explain in the terms of service that by giving the app permission, users are consenting to LaLiga using their phones to detect fraudulent behavior, like pirated soccer games. — Dami Lee, The Verge, "LaLiga’s app listened in on fans to catch bars illegally streaming soccer," 12 June 2019 The sister consented to a house search, and officers found Barnes hiding in a closet. — Sydney Czyzon, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Milwaukee man abruptly pleads guilty to killing 13-year-old Sandra Parks after hearing witness testimony," 11 June 2019 The issues with He's work were numerous, ranging from sloppy science to consent forms that didn't fully inform parents what was going to be done to their children. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "US Cancer Patients Are Undergoing CRISPR Tests For The First Time," 17 Apr. 2019 Under these guidelines, drugs that have shown some promise and safety in lab or animal studies can be given to consenting patients in cases where no proven treatment exists, as long as the results are monitored and reported. — Cathleen O'grady, Ars Technica, "Ebola outbreak reaches city of 1 million residents," 14 Dec. 2018 Bahrain, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, the other countries boycotting Qatar in the dispute, have not consented to the court’s jurisdiction, though the UAE has, Doha said. — Washington Post, "UAE offers its defense in Qatar lawsuit at UN high court," 28 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

An unknown suspect entered the complainant’s vehicle and removed several items without their consent. — Houston Chronicle, "West University Place Police Department weekly report," 8 July 2019 No faith in the system Pam Rubin, a former Shambhala student, said she was kissed without her consent by a high-ranking teacher during a retreat in Vermont in 2005. — Jackson Barnett, The Denver Post, "Shambhala, the Boulder-born Buddhist organization, suppressed allegations of abuse, ex-members say," 7 July 2019 Fraud, Orchard Boulevard On June 25, an Orchard Boulevard resident discovered that someone had used her credit card without her consent. — John Benson, cleveland.com, "Unlocked Big Creek Parkway apartment window leads to burglary: Parma Heights Police Blotter," 3 July 2019 More recently, in Toilet-Ek Prem Katha (2017), Akshay Kumar photographed a girl without her consent. — Ananya Bhattacharya, Quartz India, "Dear woke India, where were you before Kabir Singh?," 28 June 2019 The bill directs the Federal Communications Commission to flesh out its rules making clear that robocalls may only be made to consumers with their consent. — Brian Fung, CNN, "US government announces nationwide crackdown on robocallers," 25 June 2019 In a decision known as Janus, the Supreme Court said that the First Amendment prevents unions from compelling public employees to pay dues without their affirmative consent. — oregonlive.com, "3 Oregon school employees sue their union for not letting them drop out," 11 June 2019 Security Thanks to an assist from Congress, your cable company has the legal right to sell your web-browsing data without your consent. — Brian Barrett, WIRED, "The Catch-22 That Broke the Internet," 7 June 2019 Clearly, in some situations, verbal consent is necessary, and that too can be super hot. — Karley Sciortino, Vogue, "Why I Choose to Pursue the Pervier Side of Life," 12 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'consent.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near consent

Statistics for consent

Last Updated

11 Jul 2019

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Time Traveler for consent

The first known use of consent was in the 13th century

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More Definitions for consent

consent

verb

English Language Learners Definition of consent

(Entry 1 of 2)

formal : to agree to do or allow something : to give permission for something to happen or be done

consent

noun

English Language Learners Definition of consent (Entry 2 of 2)

somewhat formal

: permission for something to happen or be done

: agreement about an opinion or about something that will happen or be done

See the full definition for consent in the English Language Learners Dictionary

consent

verb

con·sent | \ kən-ˈsent

consented; consenting

Kids Definition of consent

(Entry 1 of 2)

: to express willingness or approval : agree The mayor consented to speak at our banquet.

consent

noun

Kids Definition of consent (Entry 2 of 2)

: approval of or agreement with what is done or suggested by another person You must have a parent's consent to go on the trip.

consent

noun

con·sent

Legal Definition of consent

1a : compliance in or approval of what is done or proposed by another specifically : the voluntary agreement or acquiescence by a person of age or with requisite mental capacity who is not under duress or coercion and usually who has knowledge or understanding — see also age of consent, informed consent, rape, statutory rape

b : a defense claiming that the victim consented to an alleged crime (as rape)

2 : agreement as to action or opinion shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties — U.S. Constitution art. II a contract is formed by the consent of the parties — Louisiana Civil Code specifically : voluntary agreement by a people to organize a civil society and give authority to a government