acquiescence

noun

ˌa-kwē-ˈe-sᵊn(t)s How to pronounce acquiescence (audio)
Definition of acquiescencenext
as in obedience
a readiness or willingness to yield to the wishes of others good manners demanded our cheerful acquiescence to our host's plans for dinner

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 acquiescence Less money coming into government coffers also means fewer goodies for the population of Moscow, whose acquiescence Putin desperately needs. — Phillips Payson O’Brien, The Atlantic, 30 June 2026 Passage of this resolution was tantamount to acquiescence by Congress, granting the president the authority to respond militarily by sending thousands of troops to fight in Vietnam. — Richard Cherwitz, Sun Sentinel, 6 Jan. 2026 Of course, all of this convenient acquiescence will sound familiar in the United States, where our own Congress and Department of Justice have been nothing if not servile to a brazenly corrupt executive. — Daniel Alarcón, New Yorker, 4 June 2026 Writing in the early 1890s, Nadar deployed Balzac’s reported initial mistrust and later acquiescence to the daguerreotype as an allegory of larger significance for understanding the history of invention. — Literary Hub, 27 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for acquiescence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acquiescence
  1. obedience
  2. assent
  3. deference
  4. submissiveness
  5. docility
Noun
  • Civilian control of the military requires obedience to lawful orders, not blind participation in whatever form of violence a president chooses to rename as war.
    — Jon Duffy, Mercury News, 25 June 2026
  • For example, a pet owner who doesn't have to absorb the full costs of a $5,000 emergency surgery bill may be better positioned to continue purchasing high-quality food, maintaining regular dental cleanings or enrolling in obedience classes afterward.
    — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 15 June 2026
Definition of obedience
Noun
  • The mother colony did not assent.
    — Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026
  • In April 2024 Togo’s National Assembly approved a new constitution that, pending presidential assent, would change the country’s form of government from a presidential to parliamentary system.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 June 2026
Definition of assent
Noun
  • Your Chinese colleague speaks softly in a meeting; is that cultural deference or introversion?
    — Andy Molinsky, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
  • Japan’s players, initially reverential to the point of deference in Zico’s presence, came out of their shells.
    — Jack Lang, New York Times, 29 June 2026
Definition of deference
Noun
  • Attraction is a function of parentage and looks and submissiveness.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 6 May 2026
  • But for Coles, his indoctrination to law enforcement has been a different level of submissiveness.
    — Dan Pompei, New York Times, 2 Dec. 2025
Definition of submissiveness
Noun
  • Carlson-Wee introduces himself to Wood with the sweet docility of a young boy meeting his hero.
    — Clara Molot, Vanity Fair, 17 Mar. 2026
  • The same goes for docility, often characterized as a near neighbor of meekness.
    — Timothy J. Pawl, The Conversation, 23 Feb. 2026
Definition of docility

Browse Nearby Words

acquiesced (to)
acquiescence
acquiescent
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Cite this Entry

“Acquiescence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acquiescence. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on acquiescence

Nglish: Translation of acquiescence for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about acquiescence

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