consent

verb con·sent \ kən-ˈsent \

Updated on: 20 Apr 2018

Definition of consent

intransitive verb

1 : to give assent or approval : agree

consent to being tested

Her father consented to the marriage.

2 archaic : to be in concord in opinion or sentiment

—

consenter

noun

—

consentingly

play \kən-ˈsen-tiŋ-lē\ adverb

See consent defined for English-language learners

See consent defined for kids

Examples of consent in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of consent from the Web

Although Beyene was originally sent to Sweden only for evaluation of his condition, within 48 hours of his arrival, Macchiarini had persuaded him to consent to the experimental surgery.

— gretchen vogel, Science | AAAS, "University declines to sanction doctor who referred patient for deadly transplant," 13 Apr. 2018
Parents have a right to not consent to an interview with a DCS caseworker, but the agency may proceed with an investigation anyway if the investigator believes there is a risk to the child.

— The Republic | azcentral.com, "Understand the system | Child-welfare investigators just knocked on my door. What do I do now?," 13 Apr. 2018
In fact, most of the city of Rajneeshpuram and all of the unincorporated area of Rancho Rajneesh is private property, and in order to enter those areas visitors must consent to a thorough search.

— bill driver, The New Republic, "Rajneesh’s Police State," 12 Apr. 2018
Separately, Google also plans to offer publishers a way to serve nonpersonalized ads to users who don’t consent to their data being used for ad targeting.

— lara o’reilly, WSJ, "CMO Today: Facebook Latest; Google’s GDPR Plans; J&J Creates New Creative Agency Structure," 23 Mar. 2018
Dowd, in court filings and in the interview, reiterated his belief that Missouri’s invasion of privacy statute does not apply to encounters involving consenting adults, even if the woman didn’t know she was being photographed.

— The Seattle Times, "Gardner’s use of private firm for investigation questioned," 27 Feb. 2018
The union has twice asked to be released from negotiations, but the National Mediation Board overseeing the process has not consented.

— grace schneider, The Courier-Journal, "Tax reform is here, so UPS mechanics are asking Sen. Mitch McConnell, 'Where's the money?'," 10 Jan. 2018
With an opt-in contract, Facebook would collect information only if a user consented to it.

— nicholas economides, Fortune, "Commentary: Facebook Can’t Be Trusted. It’s Time to Regulate It.," 22 Mar. 2018
The judge consented and Rothstein, who is being held in the U.S. Bureau of Prisons’ secretive witness protection program for inmates, typed up a 13-page legal argument and submitted it Thursday.

— paula mcmahon, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Scott Rothstein, now a jailhouse lawyer, asks judge to cut Ponzi scheme punishment," 22 Mar. 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.

Origin and Etymology of consent

Middle English, from Anglo-French consentir, from Latin consentire, from com- + sentire to feel — more at sense

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

See Words from the same year

consent Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of consent

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

consent

noun

Definition of consent

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

See consent defined for English-language learners

Examples of consent in a Sentence

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 of consent from the Web

A year ago, news broke of the Marines United scandal, in which a private Facebook group of current and former Marines shared often-explicit photos of women without their consent.

— tom vanden brook, USA TODAY, "Marine Corps general fired for calling sexual harassment claims "fake news"," 16 Apr. 2018
The woman in the video told police that the video had been shared by the young people without her consent.

— brittney mcnamara, Teen Vogue, "Texas Teens Were Arrested for Allegedly Sharing an Explicit Video Without Permission," 16 Apr. 2018
No one has any right to any part of it without your consent.

— jennifer wright, Harper's BAZAAR, "Abortion Is Not Murder," 13 Apr. 2018
Taping lawyer-client meetings, or having people taped by a third party without their consent, is prohibited in Mexico.

— Fox News, "Mexican court: prosecutors misused video of candidate," 13 Apr. 2018
The claims add disturbing new layers to the single criminal allegation Greitens faces — a felony invasion-of-privacy charge, for allegedly taking and transmitting a semi-nude photo of her without her consent.

— Anchorage Daily News, "Woman testifies that Greitens groped and hit her; Missouri governor blasts ‘lies’ and ‘tabloid trash’," 12 Apr. 2018
The hearing was scheduled after Facebook’s Cambridge Analytica debacle in which data from as many as 87 million Americans was shared without their consent to an outside research firm.

— rani molla, Recode, "Facebook is having a negative impact on society around the world," 12 Apr. 2018
In the tape, Trump is heard bragging in vulgar terms about groping and kissing women without their consent.

— the washington post, OregonLive.com, "FBI raid of Trump lawyer linked 'Access Hollywood' tape," 11 Apr. 2018
The complainant stated on or about March 3 an unknown suspect(s) opened an auto loan with Bank of America using the complainant's personal identifying information without his consent.

— Houston Chronicle, "Bellaire Police Department report," 2 Apr. 2018

First Known Use of consent

14th century

consent Synonyms

Synonyms

allowance, authorization, clearance, concurrence, granting, green light, leave, license (or licence), permission, sanction, sufferance, warrant;

Antonyms

interdiction, prohibition, proscription;

Near Antonyms

denial, refusal, rejection, revocation;

injunction, veto;

deterrence, discouragement, repression, suppression;

ban, embargo, exclusion;

Related Words

imprimatur, seal, signature, stamp;

accreditation, certification;

liberty, pass;

concession, patent, permit;

tolerance, toleration;

acceptance, acquiescence, agreement, assent, OK (or okay);

accord, grant;

CONSENT Defined for English Language Learners

consent

verb

Definition of consent for English Language Learners

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

consent

noun

Definition of consent for English Language Learners

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

CONSENT Defined for Kids

consent

verb con·sent \ kən-ˈsent \

Definition of consent for Students

consented; consenting

: to express willingness or approval : agree

The mayor consented to speak at our banquet.

consent

noun

Definition of consent for Students

: 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.

Law Dictionary

consent

noun con·sent

legal Definition of consent

1 a : 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