acquiesce

Definition of acquiescenext

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 This pope is not one who will acquiesce to Trump on matters of morality, violence and human dignity, Lydon added. Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026 And since the Rays need the MOU signed by the end of May, the team might need to acquiesce on that point. John Romano, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026 But a loving parent, Sarkis adds, doesn't acquiesce to all of their child's whims. Charles Trepany, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026 Powell in recent months has been embroiled in a Department of Justice criminal probe after refusing to acquiesce to Trump's demands. Kevin Breuninger,jeff Cox,alex Harring,matt Peterson, CNBC, 21 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for acquiesce
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acquiesce
Verb
  • In White Mana’s case, the diner’s rise from fair exhibit to real restaurant has brought nationwide attention over the years, but most reviewers agree that its burger cooked over a bed of onions lives up to the hype.
    Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026
  • Snipes agrees, adding that in his area, yuzu trees infested with Asian citrus psyllid must be cut down to combat it.
    Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 7 June 2026
Verb
  • Her mother reluctantly assented, so long as Carol went with her.
    Jonathan Franzen, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
  • Switzerland voted to enshrine the availability of cash in its constitution, assenting to a push designed to guard against the demise of physical money.
    Bastian Benrath-Wright, Bloomberg, 8 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The lawsuit says such approval violated National Park Service regulations prohibiting sporting events on federal parklands, Congress did not consent to the towering arch overlooking the event space and no environmental review was conducted before the construction.
    ABC News, ABC News, 7 June 2026
  • The split was immediate, as a large share of social media and several critics framed the move as a kind of digital resurrection that the dead can’t consent to, and Tupac trended for the wrong reasons.
    Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
Verb
  • In 1910, following the death of his father, King Edward VII, King George V acceded to the throne and Mary became Queen.
    Natasha Leake, Vanity Fair, 2 June 2026
  • In the 2010s, when Cairo faced an Islamist insurgency in Sinai, including a local branch of the infamous Islamic State, Israel acceded to Egypt’s deployment of additional forces beyond what was permitted in that historical agreement to combat the mutual threat.
    Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Acquiesce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acquiesce. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.

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