consent
Americanverb (used without object)
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to permit, approve, or agree; comply or yield (often followed by to or an infinitive).
He consented to the proposal. We asked her permission, and she consented.
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Archaic. to agree in sentiment, opinion, etc.; be in harmony.
noun
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permission, approval, or agreement; sanction; acquiescence.
He gave his consent to the marriage.
- Synonyms:
- concurrence, accord
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agreement in sentiment, opinion, a course of action, etc..
By common consent he was appointed official delegate.
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Archaic. accord; concord; harmony.
verb
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to give assent or permission (to do something); agree; accede
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obsolete (intr) to be in accord; agree in opinion, feelings, etc
noun
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acquiescence to or acceptance of something done or planned by another; permission
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accordance or harmony in opinion; agreement (esp in the phrase with one consent )
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the lowest age at which the law recognizes the right of a person to consent to sexual intercourse
Related Words
See agree.
Other Word Forms
- consenter noun
- consenting adjective
- consentingly adverb
- nonconsent noun
- nonconsenting adjective
- preconsent noun
- reconsent verb (used without object)
- unconsenting adjective
Etymology
Origin of consent
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English verb consenten, concenten, from Anglo-French, Old French consentir, from Latin consentīre “to join or share a feeling; concur”; noun derivative of the verb; consensus
Explanation
Before you have surgery, you'd better give your consent, because the surgeon can't get his scalpel anywhere near your skin without first getting this permission from you. Consent is permission that can be given or taken away. On the night of the school dance, your parents might consent to extend your curfew by an hour. A homeowner who won't give a developer consent to tear down her house and build a shopping mall might finally consent after receiving a very large check from the developer.
Vocabulary lists containing consent
"Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare, Act I
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The Bill of Rights
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Common Senses: Sent, Sens ("Feel")
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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.
In her interview with Mr. Varadarajan, Ms. Dhillon frames these consent decrees as onerous regulations that hamstring police.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026
Off-road motorcycles are now only legal for use on private land by the landowner themselves, or with their written consent.
From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026
The latter charge, comprising a breach of allegiance owed to a sovereign or state, was crucial because it was not subject to reprieve or commutation by the governor without consent of the Legislature.
From Slate • Apr. 2, 2026
Since October 7, settlers have established more than 175 farms and outposts in the West Bank with the tacit consent of Israeli authorities.
From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026
Without his consent he could not have been punished by anyone—yet nobody ever endured so many punishments.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
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.
