assent

American  

[uh-sent] / əˈsɛnt /

verb (used without object)

1. to agree or concur; subscribe to (often followed byto ).

   to assent to a statement.

   Synonyms:

   acquiesce

2. to give in; yield; concede.

   Assenting to his demands, I did as I was told.

   Synonyms:

   acquiesce

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noun

1. agreement, as to a proposal; concurrence.

2. acquiescence; compliance.

assent British  

/ əˈsɛnt /

noun

1. agreement, as to a statement, proposal, etc; acceptance

2. hesitant agreement; compliance

3. sanction

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verb

1. to agree or express agreement

Usage

What's the difference between assent and ascent? Assent can be a noun meaning agreement, as in I give my assent, or a verb meaning to agree or give in, as in I assent to your terms. Ascent is a noun that means the act of moving upward (ascending), an upward movement, or upward movement in general. The two words are pronounced exactly the same. Perhaps the best way to remember the difference between the two is to think about what related words mean and how they’re spelled. Words related to assent involve agreement or disagreement and end with -sent, including consent and dissent. Words related to ascent involve movement and are spelled with sc, including ascend, ascension, descent, descend, and transcend. Here’s an example of assent and ascent used correctly in a sentence. Example: I asked him if he really wanted to climb the mountain, he gave his assent, and we began our ascent. Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between assent and ascent.

Related Words

See agree.

Other Word Forms

• assenter noun
• assentingly adverb
• assentive adjective
• assentiveness noun
• assentor noun
• nonassenting adjective
• reassent verb (used without object)
• unassenting adjective
• unassentive adjective

Etymology

Origin of assent

1250–1300; Middle English asenten < Old French asenter < Latin assentārī, equivalent to as- as- + sen ( t )- ( scent ) + -t- frequentative suffix + -ā- thematic vowel + -rī infinitive suffix

Explanation

Assent means agreement. If you nod your head in assent, you agree to something or you assent to it. As a verb, assent is generally followed by a phrase beginning with the word "to:" You assent to a plan, an agreement, or to an idea. Assent is also something that you can give. You can give your assent to marry your partner if he or she asks really nicely. The opposite of assent is dissent –– which means disagreeing, or even protesting in a formal way.

Example Sentences

Proxy military groups stayed out of the June 2025 war, apparently with Tehran’s assent.

From Barron's • Feb. 28, 2026

Disarmament there has frequently been conducted with Hezbollah’s assent.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 31, 2025

King Charles's grandfather George VI granted royal assent to several bills when he visited Canada in 1939, but he never delivered a throne speech.

From BBC • May 27, 2025

Whether a child’s exposure to difference, without endorsement or assent, can be treated as a constitutional injury.

From Slate • Apr. 23, 2025

Finnick’s remark is followed by a general rumble of assent, but I stay silent.

From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins

Related Words

• acknowledgment
• acquiescence
• concurrence
• consent