Synonyms of acquiesce

acquiesce

verb

ˌa-kwē-ˈes 

as in to agree

to give or express one's approval (as to a proposal)

apparently the contractor expected me to acquiesce to my own fleecing

Synonyms & Similar Words

• agree
• assent
• consent
• accede
• submit
• subscribe
• succumb
• adopt
• come round
• tolerate
• abide
• embrace
• endure
• suffer
• stand
• espouse
• bear (with)
• swallow
• bow
• yield
• take
• relent
• stomach
• knuckle under

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dissent
• refuse
• reject
• deny
• scorn
• spurn
• rebuff
• gainsay

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

Recent Examples of acquiesce

When successful, a diversified strategy has enabled New Delhi to avoid acquiescing to any one partner’s decisions and to play countries off one another to strengthen its own position. —Tanvi Madan, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025

Everyone besides Aggie has acquiesced. —Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2025

And if Ellison gets his way and buys Warners in a history-changing moment for Hollywood, Cruise won’t be the only one having to acquiesce to a new cultural order. —Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 4 Dec. 2025

Prime then said that the board later listened and acquiesced to some of the requests of Phelps, O’Donnell and Prime in the final 2025 charter agreement, the one put in front of teams in September and the one that 13 of 15 teams signed. —Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 3 Dec. 2025

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