acquiesce

verb ac·qui·esce \ˌa-kwē-ˈes\

: to accept, agree, or allow something to happen by staying silent or by not arguing

ac·qui·escedac·qui·esc·ing

Full Definition of ACQUIESCE

intransitive verb

: to accept, comply, or submit tacitly or passively —often used with in and sometimes with to

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Examples of ACQUIESCE

… the tender understanding with which he had acquiesced to her wish not to consummate their relationship out of wedlock. —Dorothy West, The Wedding, 1995
… he seems to have acquiesced in his Christian Scientist wife's refusal to provide medical care … —Joyce Carol Oates, New York Times Book Review, 17 Dec. 1995
The main body of Shi'is, in and around Iraq, accepted 'Abbasid rule, or at least acquiesced in it. —Albert Hourani, A History of the Arab Peoples, 1991
He passively acquired the reputation of being a snob, and acquiesced to it … —George V. Higgins, Harper's, September 1984
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Origin of ACQUIESCE

French acquiescer, from Latin acquiescere, from ad- + quiescere to be quiet — more at quiescent

First Known Use: 1651

Related to ACQUIESCE

Synonyms: accede, agree, assent, come round, consent, subscribe

Antonyms: dissent

Synonym Discussion of ACQUIESCE

assent, consent, accede, acquiesce, agree, subscribe mean to concur with what has been proposed. assent implies an act involving the understanding or judgment and applies to propositions or opinions <voters assented to the proposal>. consent involves the will or feelings and indicates compliance with what is requested or desired <consented to their daughter's going>. accede implies a yielding, often under pressure, of assent or consent <officials acceded to the prisoners' demands>. acquiesce implies tacit acceptance or forbearance of opposition <acquiesced to his boss's wishes>. agree sometimes implies previous difference of opinion or attempts at persuasion <finally agreed to come along>. subscribe implies not only consent or assent but hearty approval and active support <subscribes wholeheartedly to the idea>.