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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
The deployment of 4,000 Guard members — along with 700 Marines from Twentynine Palms — marked the first time since 1965 that a president had federalized a state’s National Guard without the governor’s consent. Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 20 June 2025 In 2017, a number of Greenlandic women came forward and shared that, during the 1960s, Danish physicians had inserted intrauterine devices without their consent. Morten Høi Jensen, The Dial, 19 June 2025
Verb
Among the group were two journalists that consented for the technical analysis of their cases, Citizen Lab’s Bill Marczak and John Scott-Railton wrote in their analysis. Kate O'Flaherty, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025 This suggests Regeneron will harness 23andMe’s users' genetic data for drug development—but only if the customer has already consented. Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 19 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for consent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for consent
Noun
  • Prior authorization varies by plan but often requires patients or their providers to get permission (also called precertification, preauthorization, or preapproval) before filling prescriptions, scheduling imaging, surgery, or an inpatient hospital stay, among other expenses.
    Lauren Sausser, Miami Herald, 16 June 2025
  • That information is anonymized, and participants have to give permission for their data to be included at all.
    Laura Tillman, Hartford Courant, 16 June 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
  • Frightened for her daughter’s life, Paulina’s mother did not sign the authorization.
    Rebecca Grant June 24, Literary Hub, 24 June 2025
  • At a press conference, Johnson said the War Powers Act of 1973, which limits presidential military action without congressional authorization, is unconstitutional.
    Amanda Castro Hannah Parry Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 June 2025
Verb
  • The Phoenix Suns reportedly agreed to trade Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets on Sunday, marking one of the first major moves of the NBA offseason.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 22 June 2025
  • Trump tried to get Iranians to agree to a real nuclear deal.
    The Editors, National Review, 22 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Consent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/consent. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on consent

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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