acceptance

noun

Definition of acceptancenext
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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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 acceptance Yes, many transformative technologies have overcome opposition on their way to broad acceptance, but that doesn’t mean the resistance is a waste of time. — Will Oremus, The Atlantic, 27 Aug. 2026 But the film, with its appealingly oddball cast – featuring everyone from Sonny Bono and Ricki Lake to Waters’ go-to drag performer Divine – and themes of acceptance and sticking to your dreams changed that. — Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 27 Aug. 2026 The irreverent premise gives way to a larger story about identity, acceptance and finding one’s place in the world. — Partner Content, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026 Which, again, stood in sharp contrast to her usual attitude of acceptance, of submission rather than demand, of being accountable to others rather than asking anything of them. — Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for acceptance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acceptance
  1. obedience
  2. approval
  3. acquiescence
  4. accreditation
  5. compliance
  6. agreement
  7. submissiveness
  8. confirmation
Noun
  • Falwell championed a vision of America rooted in obedience to biblical authority and conformity with traditional values, placing him in tension with Enlightenment principles like individual rights, rational inquiry, and free thought.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2026
  • One of six K-9s with the sheriff’s office, Koda is trained in narcotics detection, tracking people, article searches and obedience.
    — Marissa Yelenik, Baltimore Sun, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of obedience
Noun
  • Jumbo loans have stricter approval processes, lower debt-to-income (DTI) ratio requirements and higher down payment demands than most conventional loans.
    — Dan Simms, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
  • But in 2018 Trump signed the Right to Try Act, which allows terminally ill patients to access certain experimental drugs and immunotherapy treatments that have not received full approval from the Food and Drug Administration.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of approval
Noun
  • Oil has long funded the Gulf’s expensive social contract, in which governments provide citizens with cushy jobs and high-quality services in return for political acquiescence.
    — Dina Esfandiary, Foreign Affairs, 27 Aug. 2026
  • With Taiwan’s 2028 elections approaching, sustained American support strengthens voices favoring self-defense over acquiescence to Beijing.
    — Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
Definition of acquiescence
Noun
  • The firm holds Better Business Bureau accreditation with an A rating.
    — Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Additional measures include an accreditation agreement aligned with ISO/IEC 17065, the international standard governing bodies that certify products, processes and services.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of accreditation
Noun
  • The state agency oversees the facility’s air and water quality permits and compliance with environmental waste laws.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Taxpayers may qualify for relief due to a good compliance history, reasonable cause, or a statutory exception.
    — Jamela Adam, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of compliance
Noun
  • The industry expectation is that there will be a lockout come December and that the sides won’t be able to reach an agreement until the spring at the earliest.
    — Evan Drellich, New York Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Cloud service agreements totaled $29 billion, with data center leases not commenced of $25 billion, equity investments of $25 billion, and capital expenditures of $8 billion.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of agreement
Noun
  • Attraction is a function of parentage and looks and submissiveness.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 6 May 2026
  • But for Coles, his indoctrination to law enforcement has been a different level of submissiveness.
    — Dan Pompei, New York Times, 2 Dec. 2025
Definition of submissiveness
Noun
  • Those moves, unusual steps aimed at granting the president and his allies far-reaching benefits, put Blanche’s confirmation at risk, prompting key senators to express concern.
    — Alanna Durkin Richer, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • While the senators linked Kennedy’s anti-vaccine work to that deadly measles outbreak, Kennedy denied any connection during the confirmation hearings.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of confirmation

Browse Nearby Words

acceptably
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acceptances
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Cite this Entry

“Acceptance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acceptance. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on acceptance

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about acceptance

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