agreement

[ uh-gree-muhnt ]

noun

1. the act of agreeing or of coming to a mutual arrangement.
2. the state of being in accord.
3. an arrangement that is accepted by all parties to a transaction.

   Synonyms: concurrence, accord, understanding

4. a contract or other document delineating such an arrangement.
5. unanimity of opinion; harmony in feeling:

   agreement among the members of the faculty.

6. Grammar. correspondence in number, case, gender, person, or some other formal category between syntactically connected words, especially between one or more subordinate words and the word or words upon which they depend; selection by one word of the matching formal subclass, or category, in another word syntactically construed with the first.
7. collective agreement ( def ).
8. Law.
   1. an expression of assent by two or more parties to the same object.
   2. the phraseology, written or oral, of an exchange of promises.

   Synonyms: pact, treaty, settlement

agreement

/ əˈɡriːmənt /

noun

1. the act of agreeing
2. a settlement, esp one that is legally enforceable; covenant; treaty
3. a contract or document containing such a settlement
4. the state of being of the same opinion; concord; harmony
5. the state of being similar or consistent; correspondence; conformity
6. Also calledconcord grammar the determination of the inflectional form of one word by some grammatical feature, such as number or gender, of another word, esp one in the same sentence
7. See collective agreement national agreement

agreement

1. A requirement for parts of a sentence in standard written English; the parts must agree, for example, in number and person . The subject and verb of a clause or simple sentence must agree in person, as in “ He is a boy.” The subject, he , and the verb, is , are both in the third person. The subject and verb also must agree in number, as in “ We are girls.” The subject, we , and the verb, are , are both plural . Nouns and pronouns must also agree in number, person, and gender as in “Every boy must mind his manners.” The noun boy and the pronoun his are both singular , both in the third person, and both masculine.

Other Words From

• inter·a·greement noun
• nona·greement noun
• prea·greement noun
• proa·greement adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of agreement¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English agrement, from Middle French, equivalent to agree + -ment

Word History and Origins

Origin of agreement¹

C14: from Old French

Synonym Study

Agreement, bargain, compact, contract all suggest a binding arrangement between two or more parties. Agreement ranges in meaning from mutual understanding to binding obligation. Bargain applies particularly to agreements about buying and selling but also to haggling over terms in an agreement. Compact applies to treaties or alliances between nations or to solemn personal pledges. Contract is used especially in law and business for such agreements as are legally enforceable.

Example Sentences

In the interim, the two sides conferred and came to an agreement on a different policy — but one that also mentions the need to cooperate with oversight investigations.

From Los Angeles Times

Climate campaigner and then-US Vice-President Al Gore said Prescott "fought like hell" for an agreement and was "an unwavering champion of climate action for decades to come".

From BBC

Saudi Arabia now insists that any agreement would be contingent on “an irreversible track” toward the creation of a Palestinian state.

From Los Angeles Times

The panelists are not in agreement about the overall quality of the year’s slate, though: “It was a thin year for exceptional animation but not for profitable animation,” says Tim Cogshell.

From Los Angeles Times

A row has broken out at COP29 climate talks as leading countries said a draft deal risked going back on a historic agreement to reduce the use of planet-warming fossil fuels.

From BBC

Related Words

• approval
• arrangement
• charter
• compromise
• covenant
• deal
• lease
• negotiation
• pact
• protocol
• settlement
• transaction
• understanding

More About Agreement

What is a basic definition of agreement?

Agreement is the state or act of agreeing, meaning coming to a mutually approved arrangement. Agreement is also used to mean a deal in which all parties accept the conditions or a unity of opinion. Agreement has several other senses as a noun.

Agreement is the noun form of the verb agree, which means to be in harmony of feeling or opinion. Agreement, then, means the act of agreeing or a condition in which all people are content with a situation or what they must do. The opposite of agreement is disagreement.

• Used in a sentence: I thought Jack’s plan was good and nodded my head in agreement with everything he said. 

In a similar sense, an agreement is a deal or arrangement in which all parties accept the terms. An agreement can be an unspoken pact or an actual legal document that has punishments if it isn’t followed.

• Real-life examples: In a trade agreement between the United States and Canada, both countries must approve of what they sell to each other. You might come to an agreement with your friends to split the cost of a dinner. When renting a car, a customer will sign a rental agreement that outlines how much they will pay the lender if the car is damaged.
• Used in a sentence: The United Nations negotiated a peace agreement between the two warring countries.

Where does agreement come from?

The first records of agreement come from around 1375. It ultimately comes from Middle French agrément. It combines the verb agree, meaning “to have the same views” or “to give consent ,” with the suffix -ment, that forms a noun describing a state (refreshment), a product (fragment), or a means (ornament).

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to agreement?

• disagreement (noun)
• interagreement  (noun)
• preagreement (noun)
• proagreement (adjective)

What are some synonyms for agreement?

• accord
• compromise
• understanding
• pact
• deal

What are some words that share a root or word element with agreement? 

• agree
• disagreement
• trade agreement

What are some words that often get used in discussing agreement?

• trust
• unity
• opinion
• negotiation
• terms
• business
• peace
• handshake

How is agreement used in real life?

Agreement is a common word that means an act of agreeing or a deal that all sides mutually agree to.

I’m in agreement with my 22-year old daughter that America’s downfall began with reality TV. Trash!

— RevWendy (@SoulBlossom_Wen) December 13, 2020

The Pentagon and the Federal Emergency Management Agency are negotiating the final terms of an agreement that could see the military provide around 450,000 Covid-19 vaccinations a day https://t.co/8EV0LKkNsN

— CNN (@CNN) January 29, 2021

So socially awkward I just accidentally convinced a door-to-door saleman that I have a wife and can't commit to his sale without her agreement.

— Rob (@RarkPhoenix) July 21, 2020

Try using agreement!

Is agreement used correctly in the following sentence?

Every member of the club was in agreement, and so we all voted to donate money to the hospital.