1
as in obedience
a readiness or willingness to accept or adapt to a given circumstance
She eventually reached an acceptance of her mother's sometimes challenging eccentricities.
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2
as in approval
permission given to do something
They had a fancy dinner to celebrate his acceptance to Columbia University.
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Recent Examples of acceptance
Florida universities’ acceptance of out-of-state students has increased in recent decades, but compared to public, particularly flagship, universities in other states, the Sunshine State still gives higher priority to its residents.
—
Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026
Including deaf characters in kids’ TV helps all children learn kindness, understanding, and acceptance.
—Hannah Silverman, Parents, 5 Feb. 2026
In choppy markets, that liquidity can matter, so this option can make sense for investors who value fast resale and broad acceptance.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
But this type of placid acceptance in the face of obvious danger isn’t unique to this ensemble.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for acceptance
Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026
Including deaf characters in kids’ TV helps all children learn kindness, understanding, and acceptance.
—Hannah Silverman, Parents, 5 Feb. 2026
In choppy markets, that liquidity can matter, so this option can make sense for investors who value fast resale and broad acceptance.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
But this type of placid acceptance in the face of obvious danger isn’t unique to this ensemble.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for acceptance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acceptance
Noun
-
Fear Gets Results, Niceness Builds Loyalty Fear creates compliance and obedience.—
Kelly Ehlers,
Rolling Stone,
10 Feb. 2026
-
In democratic systems, coercive force does not generate obedience through strength alone.—
Robert Pape,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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That low approval, along with the lack of a de facto party leader, has led to a number of Democratic lawmakers offering their views on how the party can make gains among the electorate, particularly working-class voters.—
Max Rego,
The Hill,
16 Feb. 2026
-
The state can not purchase the Merrow Road parcel without approval from the Office of Policy and Management.—
Emilia Otte,
Hartford Courant,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
And acquiescence can be contagious.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
20 Jan. 2026
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Even if clemency led the White House to dial back the ongoing efforts to punish Colorado, acquiescence today only invites future harassment.—
Max Potter,
Denver Post,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
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On the same week an independent evaluation team visited campus to determine if Morris Brown should keep its accreditation — and the vital federal funding that comes with it — the school was sued by a former member of its own board of trustees.—
Jason Armesto,
AJC.com,
6 Feb. 2026
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In Oklahoma, a former state superintendent threatened schools' accreditations.—
Cate Charron,
IndyStar,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The case traces back to April 2025, when the Justice Department initiated compliance reviews of Harvard’s undergraduate, law, and medical school admissions programs.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Feb. 2026
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The new law would go into effect almost immediately upon a veto override, which could force local governments and school districts to scramble to come into compliance or face steep fines that would compound daily.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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After Pratt’s sentencing, Foster and several of the victims said the copyrights issue was an important and overlooked part of his plea agreement and sentence.—
Alex Riggins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
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In the month-long meeting, the council decided on a set of agreements to guide how the church would observe, teach, and practice its beliefs about the life of Jesus Christ.—
Lianna Norman,
Florida Times-Union,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
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But for Coles, his indoctrination to law enforcement has been a different level of submissiveness.—
Dan Pompei,
New York Times,
2 Dec. 2025
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In Killers of the Flower Moon, his Ernest Burkhart starts off as a mopey, weak-minded World War One veteran, eager to do anything for his godfather uncle (Robert De Niro), but there’s still a certain likability to his dim-bulb submissiveness.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
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If the deadline had passed without Senate confirmation, Hall would have been banned from serving on the police board for life under state law.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The email and invitation offered confirmation.—
Stan Awtrey,
AJC.com,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Acceptance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acceptance. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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