consent 1 of 2

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

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
Online sites and services with content meant for children under the age of 13 are required to let parents know what personal information is collected and get their consent, under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule, passed by Congress in 1998 and updated by the FTC in 2012. Mike Snider, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025 Counseling professionals have been on campus to provide comfort and guidance for students whose parents have given consent. Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
The site adds that the winner's identity (in this case, the beneficiary) is kept confidential under Ohio law, unless the winner consents to be identified in writing. Alex Perry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 30 Aug. 2025 Both consented to a search of their home, and police reviewed its video surveillance footage. Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for consent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for consent
Noun
  • By setting up permissions in advance, the agent (individual with the power to act on behalf of someone else) can step in immediately if the account owner is incapacitated.
    Kristin McKenna, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • After scouting several locations in Florida, California and Texas, the organizers decided on the Hamptons after Wilson, who died earlier this year, granted them permission to showcase in his space.
    Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • 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
  • His representatives soon assented to de Moraes’s orders, including taking down the offending accounts and paying the fines.
    Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The move irked Republicans in Congress who, in July, moved to ban restoring any Confederate names in this year's defense authorization bill.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Being undocumented in the United States, whether by crossing the border without authorization or overstaying a visa, is typically considered a civil violation rather than a criminal offense.
    Caroll Alvarado, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Later, Howard calls Matt and agrees to cut the sequence but also threatens to destroy him.
    Carson Blackwelder, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
  • According to documents from the vote, PS agreed to a 20-year contract with the county.
    Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 6 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Consent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/consent. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on consent

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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