acquiesce

verb

ˌa-kwē-ˈes How to pronounce acquiesce (audio)
Definition of acquiescenext
as in to agree
to give or express one's approval (as to a proposal) apparently the contractor expected me to acquiesce to my own fleecing

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word acquiesce distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of acquiesce are accede, agree, assent, consent, and subscribe. While all these words mean "to concur with what has been proposed," acquiesce implies tacit acceptance or forbearance of opposition.

acquiesced to his boss's wishes

When is it sensible to use accede instead of acquiesce?

The words accede and acquiesce can be used in similar contexts, but accede implies a yielding, often under pressure, of assent or consent.

officials acceded to the prisoners' demands

When would agree be a good substitute for acquiesce?

Although the words agree and acquiesce have much in common, agree sometimes implies previous difference of opinion or attempts at persuasion.

finally agreed to come along

When could assent be used to replace acquiesce?

The meanings of assent and acquiesce largely overlap; however, assent implies an act involving the understanding or judgment and applies to propositions or opinions.

voters assented to the proposal

When is consent a more appropriate choice than acquiesce?

While the synonyms consent and acquiesce are close in meaning, consent involves the will or feelings and indicates compliance with what is requested or desired.

consented to their daughter's going

When can subscribe be used instead of acquiesce?

While in some cases nearly identical to acquiesce, 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 acquiesce Democrats used to be more skeptical of free trade, but Clinton and Obama were largely supportive of free trade deals like NAFTA. Republicans were mostly unified behind free trade deals, but now are largely acquiescing to Trump's agenda. —Alex Thompson, Axios, 16 Mar. 2025 But Trump is hardly the first president to push the limits of his Article II prerogatives, nor are today’s congressional Republicans unique in their readiness to acquiesce. —David M. Drucker, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2025 Lobbying pays — and so does acquiescing to lobbyists. —David B. McGarry, Baltimore Sun, 30 Mar. 2025 If Trump pressured the continent to stop backing Kyiv, Russia hopes, many governments might acquiesce rather than risk their own security partnership with Washington. —Alexander Gabuev, Foreign Affairs, 26 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for acquiesce
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acquiesce
  1. agree
  2. assent
  3. consent
  4. accede
Verb
  • In an exciting Instagram post on Wednesday (April 9), the West Coast icon and league owner revealed that the eight-time NBA All-Star has agreed to join the BIG3 league for one final season as a professional basketball player.
    — Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The panel also agreed Way acted with malice, oppression or fraud, and awarded her another $250,000 in punitive damages.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of agree
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
Definition of assent
Verb
  • Ukraine has consented to a ceasefire proposed weeks ago by Washington.
    — Yehor Konovalov and Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Eighty-five percent of customers consented to 23andMe research, allowing their individual-level data to be used for studies.
    — Kayte Spector-Bagdady, The Conversation, 2 Apr. 2025
Definition of consent
Verb
  • Except for McConnell, every Republican senator acceded to Trump’s wishes anyway.
    — David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2025
  • University officials acceded to those demands, which also include a review of admission policies and a ban on students wearing masks at protests.
    — Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2025
Definition of accede

Browse Nearby Words

acquaints
acquiesce
acquiesced
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Cite this Entry

“Acquiesce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acquiesce. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of acquiesce for Spanish Speakers

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