assent 1 of 2

verb

ə-ˈsent How to pronounce assent (audio)
Definition of assentnext
as in to agree
to give or express one's approval (as to a proposal) are we to conclude from your silence that you assent?

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

assent

2 of 2

noun

as in acquiescence

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word assent distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of assent are accede, acquiesce, agree, consent, and subscribe. While all these words mean "to concur with what has been proposed," assent implies an act involving the understanding or judgment and applies to propositions or opinions.

voters assented to the proposal

When might accede be a better fit than assent?

The meanings of accede and assent largely overlap; however, accede implies a yielding, often under pressure, of assent or consent.

officials acceded to the prisoners' demands

When is acquiesce a more appropriate choice than assent?

While in some cases nearly identical to assent, acquiesce implies tacit acceptance or forbearance of opposition.

acquiesced to his boss's wishes

When would agree be a good substitute for assent?

The synonyms agree and assent are sometimes interchangeable, but agree sometimes implies previous difference of opinion or attempts at persuasion.

finally agreed to come along

In what contexts can consent take the place of assent?

In some situations, the words consent and assent are roughly equivalent. However, 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 assent?

While the synonyms subscribe and assent are close in meaning, 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 assent
Verb
Jordan’s king cannot assent to Mr. Trump’s plan without risking the ire of different important elements of his country’s population. —Ephrat Livni, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025 Ramaphosa assented to the law on Jan. 23 after five years of public consultation and parliamentary debate. —Chad De Guzman, TIME, 7 Feb. 2025
Noun
To be effective, the speech acts that bind us together or break us apart require the assent of our whole society. —Melissa Ragain, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2025 Beyond the power of the purse, the nominations process is one of the few times the executive branch requires assent from the Senate for its planned initiatives. —Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for assent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assent
  1. agree
  2. acquiescence
  3. consent
  4. approval
  5. agreement
  6. acceptance
  7. confirmation
  8. affirmation
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
  • In a billion dollar deal that shakes up the world of luxury fashion, Prada has agreed to buy Versace from its owner Capri Holdings.
    — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of agree
Noun
  • Small states have risen to power on first-mover advantages, often with the acquiescence or benign neglect of larger states.
    — Kurt M. Campbell, Foreign Affairs, 10 Apr. 2025
  • What the character arrives at though is violent retribution, which feels like an unimaginative acquiescence to familiar pulp storytelling.
    — J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 18 Mar. 2025
Definition of acquiescence
Verb
  • Ukraine has consented to a ceasefire proposed weeks ago by Washington.
    — Yehor Konovalov and Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2025
  • At the hearing — held a day after Adams announced Mastro’s appointment — Sullivan initially gave Oakley’s lawyer two weeks to file a motion for sanctions against MSG and another two for Mastro to respond, a timeline Oakley’s lawyer consented to, the transcript reviewed by The News shows.
    — Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 2 Apr. 2025
Definition of consent
Noun
  • The crowd roared its approval Monday evening when Boise Mayor Lauren McLean’s decision to continue to fly a Pride flag outside of Boise’s City Hall was alluded to, despite another new Idaho law banning such a display.
    — Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 15 Apr. 2025
  • The company intended to move the drug into late-stage testing, which is generally the last phase of development before a company submits the potential treatment to government regulators for approval.
    — Time, Time, 15 Apr. 2025
Definition of approval
Noun
  • So there’s a mutual agreement between the two, or mutual benefits, that are quite tolerable—or even pleasurable.
    — Mark Holgate, Vogue, 15 Apr. 2025
  • Shapiro is a Democrat, but in a rare moment of bipartisan agreement, Republicans joined Democrats in condemning the attack.
    — Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of agreement
Noun
  • Regulatory acceptance of stablecoins for cross-border use also varies.
    — Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • But with acceptance letters going out this spring and decisions due in coming weeks, fall enrollment at area community colleges could indicate that some have opted for a less expensive plan, said Gabe Ross, a spokesperson for the Los Rios Community College District.
    — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 12 Apr. 2025
Definition of acceptance
Noun
  • The club feel the same will be true of Van Dijk, whose own two-year contract extension is also nearing confirmation.
    — Simon Hughes, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
  • The confirmation arrived amid the team's challenges with the car's performance.
    — David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Apr. 2025
Definition of confirmation
Noun
  • By Jenna Ryu April 2, 2025 Collage: Self; Source Images: Smash Kitchen, Mat Hayward/Getty Images Forget words of affirmation.
    — Jenna Ryu, SELF, 2 Apr. 2025
  • There’s also the apartment’s construction, to something of an affirmation of the value of art to individuals and communities.
    — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 23 Mar. 2025
Definition of affirmation

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Cite this Entry

“Assent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assent. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

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