acquiesce

Synonym Chooser

How is the word acquiesce distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of acquiesce are accede, agree, assent, consent, and subscribe. While all these words mean "to concur with what has been proposed," acquiesce implies tacit acceptance or forbearance of opposition.

acquiesced to his boss's wishes

When is it sensible to use accede instead of acquiesce?

The words accede and acquiesce can be used in similar contexts, but accede implies a yielding, often under pressure, of assent or consent.

officials acceded to the prisoners' demands

When would agree be a good substitute for acquiesce?

Although the words agree and acquiesce have much in common, agree sometimes implies previous difference of opinion or attempts at persuasion.

finally agreed to come along

When could assent be used to replace acquiesce?

The meanings of assent and acquiesce largely overlap; however, assent implies an act involving the understanding or judgment and applies to propositions or opinions.

voters assented to the proposal

When is consent a more appropriate choice than acquiesce?

While the synonyms consent and acquiesce are close in meaning, consent involves the will or feelings and indicates compliance with what is requested or desired.

consented to their daughter's going

When can subscribe be used instead of acquiesce?

While in some cases nearly identical to acquiesce, subscribe implies not only consent or assent but hearty approval and active support.

subscribes wholeheartedly to the idea

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of acquiesce All 16 later acquiesced in even more sweeping Medicaid cuts added by the Senate. Carl P. Leubsdorf, Twin Cities, 23 July 2025 In March, Columbia University also banned face masks at protests and acquiesced to a number of Trump administration demands in an effort to win back its federal funding. Grace Gilson, Sun Sentinel, 11 July 2025 However, the couple eventually acquiesced to the norms of the shore. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 11 July 2025 The studio is also operating in a supercharged political environment as Trump pressures media organizations to acquiesce to his demands, accusing them of political bias. Angela Yang, NBC news, 10 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for acquiesce
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acquiesce
Verb
  • In June, the ROJ agreed to exchange 13 hectares of his family’s land across Singapore Botanic Gardens for a nearby 8.5-hectare state land of equivalent value, according to the Urban Redevelopment Authority.
    Jonathan Burgos, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
  • Democrats agreed that unregulated recreational marijuana use is a concern in Tennessee, but ultimately opposed the bill as a policy failure.
    Vivian Jones, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • But even those who assent to most of his criticisms might balk at following Anderson to his final destination, which is to bluntly deny India much of a future in the modern world.
    Pankaj Mishra, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2013
  • The lead lawyer for the plaintiffs, Seth P. Waxman, a solicitor general for the Clinton administration, initially refused, but eventually assented after further criticism from Judge Reyes.
    Chris Cameron, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Bell shot back that Burrows was essentially asking Collier to consent to house arrest.
    Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Aug. 2025
  • User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.
    Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • In negotiations, Hamas insists on unreasonable demands and Israel has acceded to many of them.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 29 July 2025
  • But then Federer retired, and Murray and Nadal acceded to the inevitable, and there was only Djokovic, chasing his own shadow.
    Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 29 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Acquiesce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acquiesce. Accessed 31 Aug. 2025.

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