consent

verb

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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

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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 Have your boundaries around touch and relationship to consent changed much since your teen years? — New York Times, "I Spent My Life Consenting to Touch I Didn’t Want," 31 Mar. 2021 Increasingly, rulers convinced their people to consent to the terrible costs of years-long, worldwide wars by promising them rights (sometimes even the right to elect their rulers) and agreeing to limits on their own powers. — Jill Lepore, The New Yorker, "When Constitutions Took Over the World," 22 Mar. 2021 These policies raise issues about bodily autonomy and consent that anyone who cares about women and girls should be incredibly worried about. — Britni De La Cretaz, Glamour, "Attacks on Transgender Athletes Are Threatening Women’s Sports," 22 Mar. 2021 If those things do not happen by May 12, Homewood would consent to the property being disconnected and would have to pay Diversified $250,000, village attorney Chris Cummings has said. — Bill Jones, chicagotribune.com, "Homewood says no to rezoning Calumet Country Club, but developer vows to pursue logistics park project," 10 Mar. 2021 The bill requires government employers to confirm that employees consent to have union dues taken out of their paychecks. — orlandosentinel.com, "Florida lawmakers weigh rules on union dues, ballot measures," 7 Mar. 2021 The registry system will be designed to allow residents to consent to the vaccine and sign up for an appointment to receive it. — From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, "Gorilla recovery, hydroxychloroquine return, prison problems: News from around our 50 states," 28 Jan. 2021 Should that deadline not be met and the TIF not be established, Homewood would consent to the property being disconnected from the village. — Mike Nolan, chicagotribune.com, "Homewood planners vote unanimously against warehouse zoning for golf course property," 5 Mar. 2021 O’odham people were not consulted and did not consent to the establishment of the border, according to former Tohono O’odham tribal leader David Garcia. — Hilary Beaumont, The New Republic, "The Ghoulish, Bipartisan Tradition of Death at the Southern Border," 26 Feb. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun King said his content was licensed in a way that allowed almost anyone to run it without his consent. — Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, "Effort to stem online extremism accidentally pushed people toward an anarchist," 30 Mar. 2021 Earlier this month, Corbin Rainbolt, a budding digital artist who frequently shares his work on Twitter, found at least two of his pieces being sold as NFTs without his consent. — Rishi Iyengar And Jon Sarlin, CNN, "NFTs are suddenly everywhere, but they have some big problems," 30 Mar. 2021 Another girl remembers being filmed without her consent in a compromising position at a party, and the resulting videos being posted all over social media. — Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, "The Unending Assaults on Girlhood," 30 Mar. 2021 Sumter sued the City of Orlando and former OFD Chief Roderick Williams in December, accusing Williams of repeatedly touching her and making comments about her appearance without her consent. — Katie Rice, orlandosentinel.com, "Justice Department reaches settlement in female assistant fire chief’s lawsuit against the City of Orlando, records show," 29 Mar. 2021 Overson appointed Wyant, with the advice and consent of the City Council, without going through an extended search process. — Scott D. Pierce, The Salt Lake Tribune, "Taylorsville appoints chief for its new police department," 27 Oct. 2020 When there’s a Supreme Court vacancy, the President selects a nominee and the Senate provides advice and consent. — William Cummings, USA TODAY, "Bill and Hillary Clinton bash McConnell for pushing forward with Ruth Bader Ginsburg replacement," 21 Sep. 2020 This right of advice and consent is enshrined in Article II, Section II of the Constitution, which further granted the president authority to unilaterally and temporarily fill court vacancies during Senate recesses. — Amy Mckeever, National Geographic, "Why filling a Supreme Court vacancy in an election year is so complicated," 19 Sep. 2020 Curacao swindled these customers, state lawyers alleged, by refusing to sell goods at advertised prices and tacking on warranties, accessories, installation services, often without the customer’s knowledge or consent. — Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, "Curacao stores reach settlement in lawsuit alleging it defrauded low-income people," 9 Mar. 2021

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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Last Updated

4 Apr 2021

Cite this Entry

“Consent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consent. Accessed 15 Apr. 2021.

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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