consents; consented; consenting
formal
: to agree to do or allow something : to give permission for something to happen or be done
He was reluctant at first but finally consented.
—often + toHe consented to the plan.
Her father consented to the marriage.
She consented to a meeting.
—sometimes followed by to + verbThe builder consented to do the repairs at no additional charge.
somewhat formal
1
: permission for something to happen or be done
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.
Students must have the consent of their parents to go on the trip. = Students must have parental consent to go on the trip.
We need written consent [=a document giving permission] before we can publish the photograph.
Note: A consent form is a document that you sign in order to officially give your permission for something to happen or be done.
2
: agreement about an opinion or about something that will happen or be done
This restaurant is, by common consent, the best in the city. [=people agree that this restaurant is the best in the city]
The contract was canceled last month by mutual consent. [=the people involved agreed to cancel the contract]
Cite this Entry
“Consent.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/consent. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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