acceptance
Americannoun
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the act of taking or receiving something offered.
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favorable reception; approval; favor.
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the act of assenting or believing.
acceptance of a theory.
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the fact or state of being accepted or acceptable.
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Commerce.
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an engagement to pay an order, draft, or bill of exchange when it becomes due, as by the person on whom it is drawn.
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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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noun
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the act of accepting or the state of being accepted or acceptable
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favourable reception; approval
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(often foll by of) belief (in) or assent (to)
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commerce
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a formal agreement by a debtor to pay a draft, bill, etc
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the document so accepted Compare bank acceptance
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(plural) a list of horses accepted as starters in a race
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contract law words or conduct by which a person signifies his assent to the terms and conditions of an offer or agreement
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of acceptance
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.
Vocabulary lists containing acceptance
Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -ance, -ence
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Althea Gibson Article and "Roberto Clemente’s Gifts from the Heart"
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"CLEP Principles of Management," Vocabulary from Chapter 3
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Baseman said the nearly 21-year-old character, named after his childhood crush, is an all-knowing keeper of secrets and represents acceptance.
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026
"Tax is just one thing to consider but there is general acceptance that if you're living in Scotland then you pay more tax."
From BBC • May 5, 2026
The festival culminates in two days of ceremonies as Koovagam briefly becomes a rare space of acceptance.
From Barron's • May 3, 2026
An Illinois law set to go into effect this summer would ban credit-card fees on taxes and tips, the latest flashpoint in a battle that could shape the regulation and acceptance of credit cards.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026
He learned to accept things—his mother, the situation, his life, all of it—and with the acceptance, he found that he admired her.
From "The River" by Gary Paulsen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
