as in obedience
a readiness or willingness to yield to the wishes of others
good manners demanded our cheerful acquiescence to our host's plans for dinner
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 acquiescence
Passage of this resolution was tantamount to acquiescence by Congress, granting the president the authority to respond militarily by sending thousands of troops to fight in Vietnam.
—
Richard Cherwitz, Sun Sentinel, 6 Jan. 2026
The Enlightenment faith in reason, science, and free speech, already weakened by the First World War, had been devastated by an unprecedented bureaucracy of mass death, sustained by technology, systematic deceit, widespread gullibility, and eager acquiescence.
—Victor J. Blue, Harpers Magazine, 23 Nov. 2025
Ukraine ultimately won the United States’ limited acquiescence.
—Rebecca Lissner, Foreign Affairs, 14 Nov. 2025
Would-be autocrats create environments of fear and powerlessness, using intimidation, overwhelming force or political and legal attacks, and other coercive tactics to force acquiescence and chill democratic pushback.
—Shelley Inglis, The Conversation, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for acquiescence
Richard Cherwitz, Sun Sentinel, 6 Jan. 2026
The Enlightenment faith in reason, science, and free speech, already weakened by the First World War, had been devastated by an unprecedented bureaucracy of mass death, sustained by technology, systematic deceit, widespread gullibility, and eager acquiescence.
—Victor J. Blue, Harpers Magazine, 23 Nov. 2025
Ukraine ultimately won the United States’ limited acquiescence.
—Rebecca Lissner, Foreign Affairs, 14 Nov. 2025
Would-be autocrats create environments of fear and powerlessness, using intimidation, overwhelming force or political and legal attacks, and other coercive tactics to force acquiescence and chill democratic pushback.
—Shelley Inglis, The Conversation, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for acquiescence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acquiescence
Noun
-
As a child performing with his brothers at the family home in Gary, Indiana, young Michael (Juliano Krue Valdi) is beaten by his father, Joe (Colman Domingo), who demands obedience along with musical discipline.—
Sheldon Pearce,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
-
As firefighter after firefighter testified about their actions during the Lachman fire, a clear theme emerged — the Los Angeles Fire Department’s culture of absolute obedience.—
Alene Tchekmedyian,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
To be reasonable, in Rawls’s sense, is to accept that one’s deepest convictions may fail to command assent from others who are no less sincere or thoughtful, and then to propose terms of political coöperation that others can appreciate.—
Nikhil Krishnan,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The bill will become law once King Charles III grants royal assent — a formality — and the hereditary peers will leave at the end of the current session of Parliament this spring, completing a political process begun a quarter century ago.—
Jill Lawless,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
However, federal law requires that judges review arbitration awards with a high degree of deference and should only vacate them if there’s an extraordinary defect, such as the award was procured by fraud or the arbitrator failed to consider relevant evidence or follow basic legal principles.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
28 Apr. 2026
-
This type of deference to the executive, which relies on presidential good faith, now amounts to judicial abdication.—
Gregg Nunziata,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But for Coles, his indoctrination to law enforcement has been a different level of submissiveness.—
Dan Pompei,
New York Times,
2 Dec. 2025
-
In Killers of the Flower Moon, his Ernest Burkhart starts off as a mopey, weak-minded World War One veteran, eager to do anything for his godfather uncle (Robert De Niro), but there’s still a certain likability to his dim-bulb submissiveness.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Carlson-Wee introduces himself to Wood with the sweet docility of a young boy meeting his hero.—
Clara Molot,
Vanity Fair,
17 Mar. 2026
-
The same goes for docility, often characterized as a near neighbor of meekness.—
Timothy J. Pawl,
The Conversation,
23 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Acquiescence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acquiescence. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
