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Definition of consentnext

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
Laurino told us the program hinged on a consent form the mothers were supposed to sign severing all rights to the child. Bill Whitaker, CBS News, 12 July 2026 In Jackson, Mississippi, some of the devices were installed on private property without the owners’ consent and left in place despite the city’s request to remove them. N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 11 July 2026
Verb
User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Christopher Harris, CBS News, 1 July 2026 No one specifically consents to be included in them, but people have no choice. Anne Toomey McKenna, The Conversation, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for consent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for consent
Noun
  • To make the digital instruction feel authentic, Huang used motion-capture technology to record the movements of real-life dance teachers — with their permission.
    Chloe Veltman, NPR, 11 July 2026
  • Tommie Brown, a spokesperson for the Jackson, Mississippi, Police Department, told USA TODAY that Flock installed some Raven devices on private property without the knowledge or permission of police or the property owners.
    N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 11 July 2026
Verb
  • False endorsement and misappropriation, FanDuel could insist, are inapplicable to a personalized video setting where the video’s talent voluntarily assents in exchange for compensation.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 July 2026
  • Their mothers assented because anything the cousins did together could be considered family time.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 June 2026
Noun
  • Volvo was recently given an authorization by the Commerce Department to continue doing business in the States despite being owned by Chinese conglomerate Geely; its sister brand Polestar was strangely not so lucky.
    Adam Ismail, The Drive, 16 July 2026
  • The impending removal of deportation protections and work authorization under Temporary Protected Status for Haitian immigrants has worried many in South Florida.
    Austin Horn July 16, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026
Verb
  • The city has estimated if all three governments agree to extend the TADs, and therefore give up their portions of that tax revenue growth, at least $5 billion could be raised for infrastructure investment.
    Shaddi Abusaid, AJC.com, 16 July 2026
  • The Odyssey is a story of (literal) epic proportions, and everybody seems to agree that Christopher Nolan brings the awe.
    Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 15 July 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Consent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/consent. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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