age of consent

noun phrase

: the age at which one is legally competent to give consent especially to marriage or to sexual intercourse

Examples of age of consent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Every Star Wars fan who has reached the age of consent should see Bruno Dumont’s The Empire. Armond White, National Review, 14 Mar. 2025 Even when both people involved are above the age of consent, even decades removed from age 18, the younger person is often infantilized and the older of the pair is deemed predatory. Alex Abad-Santos, Vox, 10 Jan. 2025 This was in Florida, the age of consent in Florida is 18. Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 3 Jan. 2025 The 37-page report concludes that Gaetz violated state laws in Florida, which include the statutory rape law for the state, which defines the age of consent as 18, CNN reported. Virginia Chamlee, People.com, 23 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for age of consent

Word History

First Known Use

1504, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of age of consent was in 1504

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Age of consent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/age%20of%20consent. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

Medical Definition

age of consent

noun
age of con·​sent -kən-ˈsent How to pronounce age of consent (audio)
: the age at which one is legally competent to give consent especially to marriage or to sexual intercourse

Legal Definition

age of consent

: the age at which a person is deemed competent by law to give consent especially to sexual intercourse or marriage see also statutory rape compare emancipation, legal age

More from Merriam-Webster on age of 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!