acceptance

American  

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

noun

• acceptances
  plural

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.

---

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

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• acceptances
  plural

---

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

See Examples For:

acceptance acceptances

However, none of these ideas has gained universal acceptance.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026

The bleachy sunlight is just right, as is the shrugging acceptance that this town’s strivers must accept a fair amount of filth.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026

Sparking debate among academics, Harvard College Dean David Deming has suggested the "acceptance, or even encouragement" of AI in writing-based courses, according to the Harvard Crimson student newspaper.

From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026

"There is an acceptance that these technologies bring reliability benefits to the grid," he says.

From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026

Not quite a confirmation, but an invitation to join my journey on the road to acceptance.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

When he was the director of international student services at Syracuse University, Juan Tavares received a regular Saturday email from the dean of admissions reporting the tally of student applications, acceptances and enrollment deposits.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026

But the biggest increase in acceptances was for the most selective, "higher-tariff" universities – such as those in the Russell Group.

From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026

Total gross impaired loans and acceptances were C$6.94 billion, an increase from C$6.86 billion in the prior quarter, due to higher impaired loans in Canadian personal and commercial banking, mainly in residential mortgages.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 27, 2026

Then, in 2020, Alex was set to graduate at the top of his class and had racked up a slew of college acceptances, including a full ride to Harvard University.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 11, 2025

The school wasn’t as discriminating as the better-known medical colleges in Boston; the press of acceptances necessitated an expansion.

From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---

Related Words

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

---