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 The Jackets obviously acquiesced in a preseason blockbuster deal that sent Matthew Knies the other way, and on Tuesday night, Marchenko got a housewarming gift from his former teammate Adam Fantilli in the form of a bone-crushing hit. — Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2026 The United Kingdom acquiesced when the United States overtook it. — Niall Ferguson, Foreign Affairs, 20 Oct. 2026 But what begins as a bold and daring attempt to broach progressive issues in a notoriously conservative society ultimately loses its nerve, acquiescing to a number of eyebrow-raising narrative compromises. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026 As the Tingleys alternately acquiesced to and resisted Vista Grande's insistence on medication, administrators started calling 911 after altercations, according to ambulance and police dispatch records. — Jordan Rau, NPR, 30 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for acquiesce
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acquiesce
Verb
  • Engineering firm Amentum has agreed to a strategic partnership with Japanese developer Kyoto Fusioneering.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 5 Nov. 2026
  • No need to panic—experts agree this is a completely normal part of the plant’s growth cycle.
    — The Spruce, The Spruce, 5 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • False endorsement and misappropriation, FanDuel could insist, are inapplicable to a personalized video setting where the video’s talent voluntarily assents in exchange for compensation.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 July 2026
  • Their mothers assented because anything the cousins did together could be considered family time.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • Witness the present Mexican war, the work of comparatively a few individuals using the standing government as their tool; for, in the outset, the people would not have consented to this measure.
    — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026
  • User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement.
    — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Kyiv briefly acceded to the request, but has since resumed attacks — and Russia has continued to pound Ukraine’s energy infrastructure throughout the week.
    — Helen Regan, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Which would entail the young girl acceding to a reality in which women sometimes deserved to be tortured to death.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Acquiesce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acquiesce. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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