Definition of assentnext

assent

2 of 2

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
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
Noun
Rhaenyra continues to fumble her assent to the Iron Throne while Daemon pushes for more aggressive tactics to answer their enemy’s assaults. Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026 Even in hardboiled Hadestown, that would probably get a murmur of assent. Chris Willman, Variety, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for assent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assent
Verb
  • The tech giant has agreed to pay a premium for new electricity coming from planned upgrades to two of the utility’s nuclear reactors.
    AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 23 Sep. 2026
  • The museum has drawn loads of applause but also plenty of criticism, mostly for its lack of context via wall text, and for displaying art that not everyone agrees should be elevated.
    Laura Zornosa, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • But many assumptions that Stratos’ investors or Utah politicians might have had about Box Elder County – about either the acquiescence of its people or the barrenness of its landscape – have been proved wrong over the past few months.
    Melanie Stetson Freeman, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Oil has long funded the Gulf’s expensive social contract, in which governments provide citizens with cushy jobs and high-quality services in return for political acquiescence.
    Dina Esfandiary, Foreign Affairs, 27 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The genetic genealogy technique involves taking crime scene evidence to develop a profile that is used to search consumer DNA databases for genetic relatives who consented to assist law enforcement.
    Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 18 Sep. 2026
  • And then another concession came late Sunday, when Republicans said Trump consented to a tougher ethics proposal that several key senators had demanded.
    ABC News, ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Libra September 23 – October 22 A personal decision may expose how much outside approval still matters to you.
    Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 20 Sep. 2026
  • The Times spoke with her on the seventh floor of an apartment building under construction in West Los Angeles — one made possible by her order fast-tracking approval of affordable housing.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • After a group of civil rights groups sued Cooper’s gubernatorial administration in 2020 over COVID-19 infection risks, a North Carolina Superior Court judge ordered the two sides to reach an agreement.
    Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Under the new agreement, Google will receive environmental attribute certificates (EACs) from a portion (up to 91,000 metric tons) of the steel produced in Stegra’s first year of production.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The rise of Sharia law in America, as well as its acceptance, is increasingly becoming a campaign issue.
    Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 20 Sep. 2026
  • But Bernardez eventually earned acceptance by establishing himself as someone who was committed to the neighborhood, not an interloper.
    Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The agreement therefore marks a development step rather than confirmation that the MsNB has entered operational deployment.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The spacecraft gathered more detailed pictures last fall, followed by confirmation of the discovery early this year.
    Marcia Dunn, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The welcome return, another highlight in a rich career, sparked the latest of Scott’s recurring affirmations.
    Trevor Anderson, Billboard, 11 Sep. 2026
  • While the car caravans are acknowledged as a symbol of cultural pride and, for many, an affirmation of identity, Chicago city officials and Mexican Independence Day festival planners alike worry about the potential danger.
    Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Assent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assent. Accessed 24 Sep. 2026.

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