consent

1 of 2

verb

con·​sent kən-ˈsent How to pronounce consent (audio)
consented; consenting; consents

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
consenter noun
consentingly adverb

consent

2 of 2

noun

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 treatiesU.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
Choose the Right Synonym for 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

Example Sentences

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
In papers filed late Monday in Manhattan federal court, Bankman-Fried’s lawyers said a sixth charge alleging US campaign finance violations should also be dismissed because the Bahamas did not consent to it. Reuters, CNN, 13 June 2023 Under New York law, a defendant in custody who has been charged with a felony must be released within a strict time limit unless the district attorney wins an indictment from a grand jury and alerts the court to that indictment or the defendant has consented to a delay. Jonah E. Bromwich, New York Times, 5 May 2023 Casey, who uses they/them pronouns, lives primarily with their father, who hasn’t consented to have the blocker removed, according to the article. Jo Yurcaba, NBC News, 27 Apr. 2023 Both Harper and Finley signed forms consenting to Lockwood being their guardian ad litem at the time. Daniela Avila, Peoplemag, 13 Apr. 2023 In exchange for Congress’s agreeing to hike the debt ceiling, Joe Biden consented to the resumption of student-loan repayments. Noah Rothman, National Review, 8 June 2023 The Arizona Republic reached out to Rowley’s family for comment, who consented to a story based on public information but preferred not to speak on the matter. Sydney Carruth, The Arizona Republic, 10 May 2023 Both Harper and Finley signed forms consenting to Lockwood being appointed to represent them at the time. Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2023 Among the defenses, Tyler claimed Misley consented to their relationship at the time. Alexandra Del Rosario Los Angeles Times (tns), al, 7 Apr. 2023
Noun
Urquhart is one of many contributors to Adobe Stock, which was used to train the image generation platform Adobe Firefly without notification or consent. David Meyer, Fortune, 21 June 2023 Laws in the United States and some European countries have already taken into account that a person may not be able to provide consent because of illness or intoxication, or that an offender could exploit a situation of authority. Motoko Rich, BostonGlobe.com, 16 June 2023 The new laws expand the definition of rape to place greater emphasis on the concept of consent; introduce national legislation against taking explicit photos with hidden cameras; and raise the age of consent to 16. Jessie Yeung, CNN, 16 June 2023 The consent order also temporarily prohibits a defendant, Charles River Laboratories International, and two other fishing companies, from taking blood from horseshoe crabs for use by the biomedical industry in testing medical products, including vaccines for toxins. Jon Hurdle, New York Times, 15 June 2023 The 28-year-old artist, born Tyron Frampton, was charged last month with the oral and vaginal penetration of a woman without her consent. Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2023 This would force the Senate to conduct floor votes for all nominees instead of quickly approving them through unanimous consent − a common move for noncontroversial appointments. Haley Bemiller, The Enquirer, 13 June 2023 In 1951, cancer cells from Henrietta Lacks were obtained without her knowledge or consent after surgery for ovarian cancer. Kimberly M. Baker, STAT, 7 June 2023 One of the women who was planning to testify at the trial is Kelsey Harbert, who told police Gooding fondled her without her consent at Magic Hour Rooftop Bar & Lounge near Times Square in 2019. Elise Brisco, USA TODAY, 6 June 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'consent.' 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

Verb

Middle English consenten, concenten "to be in agreement, assent (to), approve, comply, connive (in a crime)," borrowed from Anglo-French cunsentir, consentir "to grant, permit, hand over, support, give in, agree" (also continental Old French), going back to Latin consentīre "to join in feeling, be in agreement, concur in opinion, (of things) be in harmony," from con- con- + sentīre "to perceive, feel, discern" — more at sense entry 1

Noun

Middle English consent, concent "agreement, approval, connivance," borrowed from Anglo-French consent, cunsent, noun derivative of cunsentir "to grant, permit, consent entry 1"

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Dictionary Entries Near consent

Cite this Entry

“Consent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consent. Accessed 8 Jul. 2023.

Kids Definition

consent

1 of 2 verb
con·​sent kən-ˈsent How to pronounce consent (audio)
: to express willingness or approval : agree
consenter noun

consent

2 of 2 noun
: approval of what is done or suggested

Legal Definition

consent

noun
con·​sent
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
shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treatiesU.S. Constitution art. II
a contract is formed by the consent of the partiesLouisiana Civil Code
specifically : voluntary agreement by a people to organize a civil society and give authority to a government
consent intransitive verb
consenter noun

More from Merriam-Webster on consent

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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