accept

[ ak-sept, ik- ]

verb (used with object)

1. to take or receive (something offered); receive with approval or favor:

   to accept a present;

   to accept a proposal.

   Antonyms: reject

2. to agree or consent to; accede to:

   to accept a treaty;

   to accept an apology.

   Synonyms: concede

3. to respond or answer affirmatively to:

   to accept an invitation.

4. to undertake the responsibility, duties, honors, etc., of:

   to accept the office of president.

5. to receive or admit formally, as to a college or club.
6. to accommodate or reconcile oneself to:

   to accept the situation.

7. to regard as true or sound; believe:

   to accept a claim;

   to accept Catholicism.

   Synonyms: acknowledge

8. to regard as normal, suitable, or usual.
9. to receive as to meaning; understand.
10. Commerce. to acknowledge, by signature, as calling for payment, and thus to agree to pay, as a draft.
11. (in a deliberative body) to receive as an adequate performance of the duty with which an officer or a committee has been charged; receive for further action:

    The report of the committee was accepted.

12. to receive or contain (something attached, inserted, etc.):

    This socket won't accept a three-pronged plug.

13. to receive (a transplanted organ or tissue) without adverse reaction. Compare reject ( def 7 ).

verb (used without object)

1. to accept an invitation, gift, position, etc. (sometimes followed by of ).

accept

/ əkˈsɛpt /

verb

1. to take or receive (something offered)
2. to give an affirmative reply to

   to accept an invitation

3. to take on the responsibilities, duties, etc, of

   he accepted office

4. to tolerate or accommodate oneself to
5. to consider as true or believe in (a philosophy, theory, etc)

   I cannot accept your argument

6. may take a clause as object to be willing to grant or believe

   you must accept that he lied

7. to receive with approval or admit, as into a community, group, etc
8. commerce to agree to pay (a bill, draft, shipping document, etc), esp by signing
9. to receive as adequate, satisfactory, or valid
10. to receive, take, or hold (something applied, inserted, etc)
11. archaic.
    intrsometimes foll byof to take or receive an offer, invitation, etc

Confusables Note

The verbs accept and except are sometimes confused because of their similar pronunciations, especially in rapid speech. Accept means “to take or receive” ( I accept this trophy ), while except means “to exclude” ( Certain types of damage are excepted from coverage in this insurance policy ).

Derived Forms

• acˈcepter, noun

Other Words From

• pre·ac·cept verb
• re·ac·cept verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of accept¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English accepten, from Middle French accepter, from Latin acceptāre “to take, receive regularly,” frequentative of accipere “to take, receive,” equivalent to ac- ac- + -cipere, combining form of capere “to take”; captive ( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of accept¹

C14: from Latin acceptāre, from ad- to + capere to take

Example Sentences

Mayor Jeffrey Bernstein said the city council is “deeply gratified” that the former residents of Section 14 have agreed to accept the settlement offer.

From Los Angeles Times

But whether or not this is How It Was, it’s easy enough to accept that it’s How It Might Have Been; the production and set pieces feel right, the dialogue is more speech than speeches.

From Los Angeles Times

This has led to lower recruitment and increased pressure in universities that accept middling grades, and some smaller institutions.

From BBC

But the people most strident about protecting this version of America — the showered-with-abundance and historically white version — they will not accept sacrifices only to give away what is gained to outsiders, he told me.

From Salon

Oonce people accept these lies as truth, their minds seek only information that confirms these beliefs, and social media algorithms push them even deeper into this distorted worldview.

From Salon

Related Words

• acknowledge
• admit
• adopt
• affirm
• approve
• assume
• buy
• comply
• recognize
• sign
• undertake