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

"Future research should explore why salt substitute-use remains low by investigating potential barriers, such as taste acceptance, cost and limited awareness among both patients and clinicians," said Wei.

From Science Daily • 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

Aspiring electrical engineer Tanatswa Mbara, a 20-year-old from Zimbabwe, received a scholarship to start this fall at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. He woke his mother when his acceptance notice arrived at 1 a.m.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

Sweet adds: "At Field Lane I have met the most amazing children who are developing empathy, understanding and acceptance - they are learning about autism and physical disability."

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

Any need to explain the sources of that fear vanished with the fear; what I was left with was, at last, acceptance of him as he was.

From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin

Related Words

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