acceptance

American  

[ak-sep-tuhns, ik-] / ækˈsɛp təns, ɪk- /

noun

1. the act of taking or receiving something offered.

2. favorable reception; approval; favor.

3. the act of assenting or believing.

   acceptance of a theory.

4. the fact or state of being accepted or acceptable.

5. acceptation.

6. Commerce.

   1. an engagement to pay an order, draft, or bill of exchange when it becomes due, as by the person on whom it is drawn.

   2. an order, draft, etc., that a person or bank has accepted as calling for payment and has thus promised to pay.

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acceptance British  

/ əkˈsɛptəns /

noun

1. the act of accepting or the state of being accepted or acceptable

2. favourable reception; approval

3. (often foll by of) belief (in) or assent (to)

4. commerce

   1. a formal agreement by a debtor to pay a draft, bill, etc

   2. the document so accepted Compare bank acceptance

5. (plural) a list of horses accepted as starters in a race

6. contract law words or conduct by which a person signifies his assent to the terms and conditions of an offer or agreement

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Other Word Forms

• nonacceptance noun
• preacceptance noun
• proacceptance adjective
• reacceptance noun
• self-acceptance noun
• unacceptance noun

Etymology

Origin of acceptance

First recorded in 1565–75; accept + -ance

Explanation

Acceptance is taking something given to you. You might be relieved by your friend's acceptance of your apology for accidentally riding your bike over his foot. An acceptance of someone or something is also an indication that you approve of or believe in it (or them). If you dye your hair green and wear a suit made of bear fur, gaining your grandmother’s acceptance may prove difficult if she's a conservative dresser and an animal lover. In legal terms acceptance is language signifying consent to the terms of an offer, leading to the creation of a contract.

Example Sentences

He famously interrupted Taylor Swift's acceptance speech at the 2009 MTV Awards, saying Beyoncé should have won the prize for best female artist.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

The older cases and treatises turned not simply on place of birth, but on protection, allegiance and the sovereign’s acceptance of the parents’ presence.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

West didn’t just embody feminist fat acceptance; she made it cool and brought it to the masses.

From Slate • Mar. 31, 2026

However, the follow-up replication studies struggled to gain acceptance from those same journals.

From Science Daily • Mar. 29, 2026

This miracle—it was nothing less—of recalling Hercules, from frenzied feeling and violent action to sober reason and sorrowful acceptance, was not wrought by a god descending from the sky.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

Related Words

• accession
• acknowledgment
• admission
• adoption
• affirmation
• agreement
• approval
• concession
• recognition