consent 1 of 2

consent

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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

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
Congress is currently stacked with Trump acolytes, so congressional consent would not be difficult to obtain. Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2025 Even more voters, 77%, opposed schools being able to prescribe hormone blockers to children without parental consent. Amy Delaura, The Washington Examiner, 15 May 2025
Verb
The prosecution and defense have agreed on large portions of the voir dire process, with disputes over wording mostly resolved and consented to on both sides. Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 May 2025 Finally, the Court looked to Ultra's operating agreement and noted that BAL could only be admitted as a member (as opposed to an assignee of Addington's interest) if and only if Ultra's managers consented to the purchaser at the judicial sale becoming a member. Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for consent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for consent
Noun
  • Shadow on projects that excite you (with your manager’s permission).
    Dilan Gomih, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
  • Before they could be disposed of, Lodge took the remains without the knowledge or permission of Harvard, the donor of the cadavers or the donor's family, according to the U.S. attorney's office.
    Jonathan Limehouse, USA Today, 24 May 2025
Verb
  • The lead lawyer for the plaintiffs, Seth P. Waxman, a solicitor general for the Clinton administration, initially refused, but eventually assented after further criticism from Judge Reyes.
    Chris Cameron, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2025
  • China has built Russia’s defense industrial base, helped Iran provide Russia with one-way attack uncrewed aerial vehicles, and assented as North Korea has sent troops to fight in Europe.
    Kurt M. Campbell, Foreign Affairs, 10 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The two left the Lewisville Juvenile Treatment Center without authorization around 2:45 p.m.
    Daniel McFadin, Arkansas Online, 19 May 2025
  • That's true in Minnesota, where the proposal to strip the state's health insurance coverage for adults in the country without authorization emerged as part of a compromise budget framework.
    Laura Fitzgerald, NPR, 18 May 2025
Verb
  • Russia and Ukraine agreed to a prisoner swap May 16 in Istanbul during their first in person talks in 3 years.
    Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 18 May 2025
  • New Jersey rail lines stood silent for a second day as union members and state officials agreed to keep hammering out a contract Sunday as the start of the work week loomed.
    Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 17 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Consent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/consent. Accessed 27 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on consent

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