assent 1 of 2

assent

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word assent distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of assent are accede, acquiesce, agree, consent, and subscribe. While all these words mean "to concur with what has been proposed," assent implies an act involving the understanding or judgment and applies to propositions or opinions.

voters assented to the proposal

When might accede be a better fit than assent?

The meanings of accede and assent largely overlap; however, accede implies a yielding, often under pressure, of assent or consent.

officials acceded to the prisoners' demands

When is acquiesce a more appropriate choice than assent?

While in some cases nearly identical to assent, acquiesce implies tacit acceptance or forbearance of opposition.

acquiesced to his boss's wishes

When would agree be a good substitute for assent?

The synonyms agree and assent are sometimes interchangeable, but agree sometimes implies previous difference of opinion or attempts at persuasion.

finally agreed to come along

In what contexts can consent take the place of assent?

In some situations, the words consent and assent are roughly equivalent. However, 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 assent?

While the synonyms subscribe and assent are close in meaning, 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 assent
Verb
These agreements encourage assenting parties to perform due diligence, helping to identify potential gaps in the data protection chain. Chris Novak, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025 Jordan’s king cannot assent to Mr. Trump’s plan without risking the ire of different important elements of his country’s population. Ephrat Livni, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025
Noun
The judge did not find an antitrust violation in Google originally buying third-party display-ad firms, with the assent of the Federal Trade Commission under multiple administrations. Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 17 Apr. 2025 Luna obtained the 218 discharge petition signatures needed to force a vote with or without Johnson's assent — including from a dozen Republicans. Andrew Solender, Axios, 1 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for assent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assent
Verb
  • His quest to get out of Phoenix became relatively painless, as the Suns reportedly agreed to trade him to the Houston Rockets for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, this year’s 10th pick and five second-round selections.
    Zach Harper, New York Times, 22 June 2025
  • The Phoenix Suns reportedly agreed to trade Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets on Sunday, marking one of the first major moves of the NBA offseason.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 22 June 2025
Noun
  • The major sticking point in negotiations that kept the strike going for nearly a year was protections surrounding generative A.I., which the gaming companies made significant acquiescences to come their best, last and final offer.
    Jennifer Maas, Variety, 11 June 2025
  • His goal seems to be to scare the public into acquiescence.
    Lisa Jarvis, Mercury News, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • Then again, the Justices’ unease about whether children and adolescents can genuinely consent to life-altering treatments would be lacking in the case of adults.
    Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 20 June 2025
  • With a filing in State Bar Court on Tuesday, Aaron Spolin pleaded no contest to misconduct involving eight clients, all current or former California prisoners, and consented to the stripping of his law license.
    Harriet Ryan, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2025
Noun
  • The Sky transaction has now been approved by the RTL board and will be subject to regulatory approvals.
    Max Goldbart, Deadline, 27 June 2025
  • The transaction, which has been approved by the board of directors of RTL Group, is subject to regulatory approvals.
    Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 27 June 2025
Noun
  • Neither Lutnick nor Trump provided any details about the agreement.
    Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 27 June 2025
  • Then, last year, Firefly announced an agreement with the Swedish Space Corporation to launch Alpha from Esrange Space Center as soon as 2026.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 27 June 2025
Noun
  • Evolving Security And Identity Verification As personal identification evolves, banks and credit unions will need to assess the security, verification and acceptance of digital IDs.
    Deep Varma, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
  • Audiences may have responded variably—with titillation, acceptance, or shock, depending on the individual—but no one could say the film industry wasn’t inclusive of different relationship story arcs.
    Betsy Golden Kellem, JSTOR Daily, 25 June 2025
Noun
  • Congress is also expected to go on recess in August, so the earliest a NASA nominee might get a confirmation hearing is this fall.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 26 June 2025
  • The whistleblower's claims about Principal Assistant Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove come a day before Bove is set to face lawmakers Wednesday for his confirmation hearing to become a federal appeals court judge.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 25 June 2025
Noun
  • The platform includes calming affirmations, standing exercises, an upper body workout with bands and Pilates classes, as well as meditations, breathwork and productivity workshops.
    Nadja Sayej, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
  • Handmade Affirmation Cards The most straightforward way to send yourself a joyful message is through a positive affirmation, and the ones that resonate the most are highly personal.
    Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Assent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assent. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.

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