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

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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
Their mothers assented because anything the cousins did together could be considered family time. — Literary Hub, 29 June 2026 Switzerland voted to enshrine the availability of cash in its constitution, assenting to a push designed to guard against the demise of physical money. — Bastian Benrath-Wright, Bloomberg, 8 Mar. 2026
Noun
Many nations joined the chorus, chanting day after day, indicating their assent. — Literary Hub, 26 May 2026 After all, changing the Constitution would require the assent of three-quarters of the 50 states. — Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026 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
  • Terry agreed, noting that today’s older adults helped shape the North Fulton community.
    — Rachel Brown Kirkland, AJC.com, 2 July 2026
  • Earlier this month, Lachlan Murdoch stunned the industry by agreeing to pay $22 billion for Roku, a leading streaming platform that reaches 100 million viewers worldwide.
    — Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of agree
Noun
  • 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
  • But the balance of risks has changed Europe’s era of acquiescence is over.
    — semafor.com, semafor.com, 22 June 2026
Definition of acquiescence
Verb
  • If not all parents consent, the court must issue an order explaining how the case will proceed.
    — Angela Rodriguez, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2026
  • User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.
    — Christopher Harris, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Definition of consent
Noun
  • Jolly replaced him and, within two months, secured Moreno’s approval to hire the architect of a World Series championship team to figure out what was not right in the organization, and to fix it.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • One reason ibogaine has struggled to win approval in the past is a lack of financial incentive, Barsuglia said.
    — Gavin Escott, USA Today, 6 July 2026
Definition of approval
Noun
  • Historians are in broad agreement that this year’s celebration has garnered far less attention than the bicentennial, marked in 1976, which generated blanket media coverage and widespread national excitement.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
  • The Fort Lauderdale City Commission voted to approve the mutual separation agreement between Williams and the city at Thursday evening’s commission meeting.
    — Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026
Definition of agreement
Noun
  • With Ancelotti on the sideline, there may be more begrudging acceptance of that this time.
    — Chris Evans, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
  • Plus, regulatory acceptance, industry validation, and real-world testing will determine how widely such systems can be deployed in safety-critical environments.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 4 July 2026
Definition of acceptance
Noun
  • The Senate attempted to fast-track Clayton’s bid, scheduling a confirmation hearing for June 17.
    — Justin Papp, CNBC, 3 July 2026
  • On Kalshi, an internal team verifies outcomes against source reporting — typically within 12 hours of confirmation — with payouts landing about three hours after that; winners take $1 per winning share.
    — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 3 July 2026
Definition of confirmation
Noun
  • For Marsh, the honor is a formal affirmation of his progress over the last 15 months.
    — Matt Gelb, New York Times, 5 July 2026
  • As Lines’ delusions calcified, so did ChatGPT’s affirmations.
    — Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 2 July 2026
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 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on assent

Nglish: Translation of assent for Spanish Speakers

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