agree

[ uh-gree ]

verb (used without object)

, a·greed, a·gree·ing.

1. to have the same views, emotions, etc.; harmonize in opinion or feeling (often followed by with ):

   I don't agree with you.

2. to give consent; assent (often followed by to ):

   He agreed to accompany the ambassador.

   Do you agree to the conditions?

   Antonyms: decline, refuse

3. to live in concord or without contention; get along together.
4. to come to one opinion or mind; come to an arrangement or understanding; arrive at a settlement:

   They have agreed on the terms of surrender.

5. to be consistent; harmonize (usually followed by with ):

   This story agrees with hers.

   Antonyms: disagree

6. to correspond; conform; resemble (usually followed by with ):

   The play does not agree with the book.

7. to be suitable; comply with a preference or an ability to digest (usually followed by with ):

   The food did not agree with me.

8. Grammar. to correspond in inflectional form, as in number, case, gender, or person; to show agreement. In The boy runs, boy is a singular noun and runs agrees with it in number.

verb (used with object)

, a·greed, a·gree·ing.

1. to concede; grant (usually followed by a noun clause):

   I agree that he is the ablest of us.

2. Chiefly British. to consent to or concur with:

   We agree the stipulations.

   I must agree your plans.

agree

/ əˈɡriː /

verb

1. often foll by with to be of the same opinion; concur
2. also tr; when intr, often foll by to; when tr, takes a clause as object or an infinitive to give assent; consent

   she agreed to go home

   I'll agree to that

3. also tr; when intr, foll by on or about; when tr, may take a clause as object to come to terms (about); arrive at a settlement (on)

   they agreed a price

   they agreed on the main points

4. foll by with to be similar or consistent; harmonize; correspond
5. foll by with to be agreeable or suitable (to one's health, temperament, etc)
6. tr; takes a clause as object to concede or grant; admit

   they agreed that the price they were asking was too high

7. tr to make consistent with

   to agree the balance sheet with the records by making adjustments, writing off, etc

8. grammar to undergo agreement

Other Words From

• a·greeing·ly adverb
• inter·a·gree verb (used with object) interagreed interagreeing
• prea·gree verb (used without object) preagreed preagreeing

Word History and Origins

Origin of agree¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English agre, agreen, from Anglo-French, Old French agre(e)r, from phrase a gre “at pleasure, at will” (from a “to, at,” from Latin ad ad- ( def ) ); gre “pleasure, will,” from Latin grātum ( gree ²( def ) )

Word History and Origins

Origin of agree¹

C14: from Old French agreer, from the phrase a gre at will or pleasure

Synonym Study

Agree, consent, accede, assent, concur all suggest complying with the idea, sentiment, or action of someone. Agree, the general term, suggests compliance in response to any degree of persuasion or opposition: to agree to go; to agree to a meeting, to a wish, request, demand, ultimatum. Consent, applying to rather important matters, conveys an active and positive idea; it implies making a definite decision to comply with someone's expressed wish: to consent to become engaged. Accede, a more formal word, also applies to important matters and implies a degree of yielding to conditions: to accede to terms. Assent conveys a more passive idea; it suggests agreeing intellectually or verbally with someone's assertion, request, etc.: to assent to a speaker's theory, to a proposed arrangement. To concur is to show accord in matters of opinion, as of minds independently running along the same channels: to concur in a judgment about a painting. See correspond.

Example Sentences

This lets the lender and the buyer know whether the value and the loan amount are in keeping with the what you have agreed to pay for the property.

From Washington Blade

Six automakers, including Ford, have voluntarily agreed to abide by California’s higher efficiency standards, and Newsom cited them Wednesday as proof that the industry can make the switch.

From Fortune

Earlier this summer, another round of direct stimulus payments to Americans was one of the few issues the two parties agreed on.

From Fortune

Though he still considered it “spiteful retaliation,” his office reduced the charges and agreed to push for probation after the officers pleaded guilty to fourth-degree criminal mischief.

From ProPublica

I consulted a respected outside oncologist, who suggested a complete neck dissection, potential new radiation, and a chest CT scan to look for metastases—yet he agreed that none of it would improve survival chances.

From Fortune

Yet this, in the end, is a book from which one emerges sad, gloomy, disenchanted, at least if we agree to take it seriously.

From The Daily Beast

Pentagon leaders agree to a person that the U.S. war against ISIS is succeeding.

From The Daily Beast

Even Democrats and Republicans can agree that Nazis are bad and Social Security is good.

From The Daily Beast

Ironically, this is the one precept on which liberals and conservatives agree.

From The Daily Beast

For his part, husband James knew all along; historians generally agree he was in on it.

From The Daily Beast

I issued a censure, and ordered that no one should agree to their conclusions, and that the Dominicans should not hold them.

From Project Gutenberg

As for Brammel, he consented, as he was ready to agree to any thing but a personal visit to the great metropolis.

From Project Gutenberg

He and Mathieson p. 66did not always agree, and the clash of arms frequently raged between them.

From Project Gutenberg

Jessie, we put first because to us she is of the most importance, and her father and mother would agree.

From Project Gutenberg

We have had three counsels' opinions on the subject, and they all agree that the patent is good.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• acknowledge
• admit
• allow
• comply
• concede
• concur
• grant
• recognize
• set
• settle
• sign