assent

[ uh-sent ]

verb (used without object)

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

   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. intrusually foll byto to agree or express agreement

Other Words From

• as·senting·ly adverb
• as·sentive adjective
• as·sentive·ness noun
• as·sentor as·senter noun
• nonas·senting adjective
• reas·sent verb (used without object)
• unas·senting adjective
• unas·sentive 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.

Example Sentences

Isaac Mwaura, spokesperson for the current Kenyan government, told the BBC that the authorities were "very co-operative with the protesters and acceded to the demands, including the president not assenting to the finance bill".

From BBC

The bill will receive royal assent today, the formal process by which the King approves the bill into law.

From BBC

Under the Iranian constitution, Iran’s vice first president takes over if the president dies with Khamenei’s assent, and a new presidential election would be called within 50 days.

From Seattle Times

If royal assent is received next year, its first assisted death could come as soon as 2027.

From BBC

While the bill has now passed through Parliament, the quickest a flight can take off is - technically speaking - 12 days after the King has given royal assent, which then formally turns the bill into law.

From BBC

Related Words

• accede
• subscribe

Assent Vs. Ascent

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.

Quiz yourself on assent vs. ascent!

Should assent or ascent be used in the following sentence?

The balloon’s _____ into the air was slowed by all the weight attached to it.