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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

Examples of consent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
In a conversation between the real-life Sarkeesian and a bot made of her without her knowledge or consent, the Character. Megan Farokhmanesh Lauren Goode, WIRED, 15 Oct. 2024 This is done with the clear intent to use digital replicas of performances in the future to avoid hiring the artist themselves or even securing their consent. Jennifer Maas, Variety, 15 Oct. 2024
Verb
On Saturday, Robinson’s family attorney consented to release the footage, Smith said. Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN, 11 Sep. 2024 Morrissey alleged Williams was not capable of consenting to be filmed for the documentary. Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY, 3 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for consent 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'consent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near consent

Cite this Entry

“Consent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/consent. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on consent

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