consent 1 of 2

Definition of consentnext

consent

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word consent distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of consent are accede, acquiesce, agree, assent, and subscribe. While all these words mean "to concur with what has been proposed," consent involves the will or feelings and indicates compliance with what is requested or desired.

consented to their daughter's going

When could accede be used to replace consent?

In some situations, the words accede and consent are roughly equivalent. However, accede implies a yielding, often under pressure, of assent or consent.

officials acceded to the prisoners' demands

When would acquiesce be a good substitute for consent?

The words acquiesce and consent can be used in similar contexts, but acquiesce implies tacit acceptance or forbearance of opposition.

acquiesced to his boss's wishes

Where would agree be a reasonable alternative to consent?

While the synonyms agree and consent are close in meaning, agree sometimes implies previous difference of opinion or attempts at persuasion.

finally agreed to come along

When might assent be a better fit than consent?

The synonyms assent and consent are sometimes interchangeable, but assent implies an act involving the understanding or judgment and applies to propositions or opinions.

voters assented to the proposal

When can subscribe be used instead of consent?

The words subscribe and consent are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, subscribe implies not only consent or assent but hearty approval and active support.

subscribes wholeheartedly to the idea

How is the word consent distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of consent are accede, acquiesce, agree, assent, and subscribe. While all these words mean "to concur with what has been proposed," consent involves the will or feelings and indicates compliance with what is requested or desired.

consented to their daughter's going

When could accede be used to replace consent?

In some situations, the words accede and consent are roughly equivalent. However, accede implies a yielding, often under pressure, of assent or consent.

officials acceded to the prisoners' demands

When would acquiesce be a good substitute for consent?

The words acquiesce and consent can be used in similar contexts, but acquiesce implies tacit acceptance or forbearance of opposition.

acquiesced to his boss's wishes

Where would agree be a reasonable alternative to consent?

While the synonyms agree and consent are close in meaning, agree sometimes implies previous difference of opinion or attempts at persuasion.

finally agreed to come along

When might assent be a better fit than consent?

The synonyms assent and consent are sometimes interchangeable, but assent implies an act involving the understanding or judgment and applies to propositions or opinions.

voters assented to the proposal

When can subscribe be used instead of consent?

The words subscribe and consent are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 consent
Noun
Several Californians sued Sutter Health and MemorialCare this week over allegations that an AI transcription tool was used to record them without their consent, in violation of state and federal law. Cyrus Farivar, ArsTechnica, 10 Apr. 2026 Such an arrangement, generally called a social contract, is based on the explicit or tacit consent of the citizens. George G. Szpiro, Big Think, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
The court found that the man, who has significant cognitive impairments, appeared to have consented to removal without understanding the process and without his caretakers being notified, according to court documents reviewed by Newsweek. Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026 If the user doesn’t upload age and consent verification of every individual depicted in the material, platforms are supposed to block the upload. Miguel Torres, AZCentral.com, 1 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for consent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for consent
Noun
  • This includes patching existing vulnerabilities and making sure that the permissions employees have are strictly limited so they can’t be exploited.
    Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 13 Apr. 2026
  • State Farm believes viewers will give permission for Jake to turn up in piece of entertainment.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 13 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • 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
  • Moderna resisted, but agreed to provide test subjects with enhanced disclosures on its informed consent form, to which the FDA assented.
    Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • According to a report from The New York Post published Saturday, Swalwell hired a nanny for his children who then kept working for them after her work authorization permit expired in 2022.
    Jordan Freiman, CBS News, 12 Apr. 2026
  • There was no strategy, no plan, no authorization.
    NBC news, NBC news, 12 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • But, in the slammers investigation, nearly all the people being prosecuted were pawns—passengers who’d agreed to ride in cars.
    Patrick Radden Keefe, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
  • Drivers also told us the company would shortchange them by altering delivery contracts- or rate cons - which confirm how much a broker has agreed to pay to move freight - a percentage of that goes to the driver.
    Ashley Velie, CBS News, 12 Apr. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Consent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/consent. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on consent

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster