consent

American  

[kuhn-sent] / kənˈsɛnt /

verb (used without object)

consents, present (3rd person singular) consented, past participle, past consenting present participle

1. to permit, approve, or agree; comply or yield (often followed by to or an infinitive).

   He consented to the proposal. We asked her permission, and she consented.

2. Archaic. to agree in sentiment, opinion, etc.; be in harmony.

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noun

1. permission, approval, or agreement; sanction; acquiescence.

   He gave his consent to the marriage.

   Synonyms:

   concurrence, accord

2. agreement in sentiment, opinion, a course of action, etc..

   By common consent he was appointed official delegate.

3. Archaic. accord; concord; harmony.

consent British  

/ kənˈsɛnt /

verb

1. to give assent or permission (to do something); agree; accede

2. obsolete (intr) to be in accord; agree in opinion, feelings, etc

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noun

1. acquiescence to or acceptance of something done or planned by another; permission

2. accordance or harmony in opinion; agreement (esp in the phrase with one consent )

3. the lowest age at which the law recognizes the right of a person to consent to sexual intercourse

Synonym Usage

See agree.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• consenter
  noun
• nonconsent
  noun
• nonconsenting
  adjective
• consentingly
  adverb
• unconsenting
  adjective
• reconsent
  verb (used without object)
• consenting
  adjective
• preconsent
  noun

Conjugated Forms

Present

• have consented
  perfect
• has consented
  perfect 3rd person singular
• is consenting
  progressive 3rd person singular
• am consenting
  progressive 1st person singular
• has been consenting
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• are consenting
  progressive
• have been consenting
  perfect progressive
• consenting
  participle
• consents
  singular 3rd person

Past

• had consented
  perfect
• were consenting
  progressive plural
• was consenting
  progressive singular
• had been consenting
  perfect progressive
• consented
  participle
• consented
  simple

Future

• will consent
  simple
• will have consented
  perfect
• will be consenting
  progressive
• will have been consenting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of consent

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English verb consenten, concenten, from Anglo-French, Old French consentir, from Latin consentīre “to join or share a feeling; concur”; noun derivative of the verb; see consensus

Explanation

Before you have surgery, you'd better give your consent, because the surgeon can't get his scalpel anywhere near your skin without first getting this permission from you. Consent is permission that can be given or taken away. On the night of the school dance, your parents might consent to extend your curfew by an hour. A homeowner who won't give a developer consent to tear down her house and build a shopping mall might finally consent after receiving a very large check from the developer.

Example Sentences

All three men gave their consent to extradition at separate hearings last October before Sheriff Julius Komorowski at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026

Last week, the same plaintiffs sued the joint venture, HRP Fisher Island, in state court to prevent the sale of the land to the county without the Fisher Island parties’ consent.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

The scandal led to prosecutions and convictions of some officers, and a federal consent decree that mandated reforms.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026

While her father was out of the country her mother sent her to a "camp" to be cared for without his consent.

From Barron's • Jun. 4, 2026

Because I was twelve, I had to sign consent to the adoption and select my name.

From "Three Little Words: A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter

Related Words

• acquiescence
• approval
• assent
• authorization
• blessing
• compliance
• concurrence
• go ahead
• permission
• permit
• sanction
• understanding