assent

American  

[uh-sent] / əˈsɛnt /

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

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noun

1. agreement, as to a proposal; concurrence.

2. acquiescence; compliance.

assent British  

/ əˈsɛnt /

noun

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

2. hesitant agreement; compliance

3. sanction

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verb

1. to agree or express agreement

Usage

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.

Related Words

See agree.

Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of assent

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

Example Sentences

It is expected to gain royal assent this week.

From BBC

The wolf sniffed the plume again and gave a short, low bark of assent.

From Literature

The bill has yet to get royal assent but that is expected before the start of the 2026/27 school year.

From BBC

Disarmament there has frequently been conducted with Hezbollah’s assent.

From The Wall Street Journal

The White House named the price — 15% of their revenues from such sales — and the companies assented willingly.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• acknowledgment
• acquiescence
• concurrence
• consent