assent

[uh-sent]

verb (used without object)

1. to agree or concur; subscribe to (often followed byto ).

   to assent to a statement.

   Synonyms: acquiesce

2. to give in; yield; concede.

   Assenting to his demands, I did as I was told.

   Synonyms: acquiesce

noun

1. agreement, as to a proposal; concurrence.

2. acquiescence; compliance.

assent

/ əˈsɛnt /

noun

1. agreement, as to a statement, proposal, etc; acceptance

2. hesitant agreement; compliance

3. sanction

verb

1. to agree or express agreement

Other Word Forms

• assentingly adverb
• assentive adjective
• assentiveness noun
• assentor noun
• assenter noun
• nonassenting adjective
• reassent verb (used without object)
• unassenting adjective
• unassentive adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of assent¹

1250–1300; Middle English asenten < Old French asenter < Latin assentārī, equivalent to as- as- + sen ( t )- ( scent ) + -t- frequentative suffix + -ā- thematic vowel + -rī infinitive suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of assent¹

C13: from Old French assenter, from Latin assentīrī, from sentīre to think

Synonym Study

See agree.

Related Words

• acknowledgment 
• acquiescence 
• concurrence 
• consent 

When To Use

What's the difference between assent and ascent?

Assent can be a noun meaning agreement, as in I give my assent, or a verb meaning to agree or give in, as in I assent to your terms. Ascent is a noun that means the act of moving upward (ascending), an upward movement, or upward movement in general.The two words are pronounced exactly the same.Perhaps the best way to remember the difference between the two is to think about what related words mean and how they’re spelled. Words related to assent involve agreement or disagreement and end with -sent, including consent and dissent.Words related to ascent involve movement and are spelled with sc, including ascend, ascension, descent, descend, and transcend.Here’s an example of assent and ascent used correctly in a sentence.Example: I asked him if he really wanted to climb the mountain, he gave his assent, and we began our ascent.Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between assent and ascent.