Accept — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

Accept (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

1. to agree to receive whether willingly or reluctantly

   "some merchants in town will accept Canadian coins"

   similar: have, take
   related: accede (to), assent (to), concede (to), confirm, consent (to), OK, ratify, sanction, warrant, acquiesce (to), bow (to), capitulate (to), give in (to), submit (to), succumb (to), surrender (to), yield (to), abide, bear, brook, countenance, endure, shoulder, stand, stick out, stomach, support, sustain, swallow, sweat out, tolerate, adopt, embrace, welcome
   opposite: decline, deny, disallow, disapprove, negative, refuse, reject, spurn, turn down, veto
   near: dissent (to), object (to), oppose, protest, hold off, resist, withstand, combat, contest, fight

2. to have a favorable opinion of

   "her husband feels that he has never been truly accepted by his wife's family"

   similar: approve (of), care (for), countenance, favor, OK, subscribe (to), go for, hold with, take kindly to
   related: acclaim, applaud, laud, praise, salute, back (up), concur (in), stand by, support, sustain, uphold, bear, endure, tolerate, assent (to), consent (to), commend, recommend, enjoy, like
   opposite: disapprove (of), discountenance, disfavor, frown (on or upon)
   near: blacklist, censure, condemn, criticize, damn, denounce, deprecate, depreciate, disparage, reprehend, reprobate, dislike, mind, detest, hate, loathe, dissent (from), object (to), oppose

3. to regard as right or true

   "refused to accept that her friend had said those mean things"

   similar: believe, buy, credit, swallow, take, trust, set store by
   related: account, accredit, understand, assume, presume, suppose, conclude, deduce, infer
   opposite: disbelieve, discredit, reject
   near: distrust, doubt, misdoubt, mistrust, question, suspect, challenge, dispute

4. to take to or upon oneself

   "accepted the responsibility of sending out the invitations"

   similar: assume, bear, shoulder, take over, undertake
   related: adopt, embrace, take up, advocate, back, champion, endorse, espouse, stand by, support, uphold, accede, acquiesce, agree, assent, consent, reaccept, reassume
   opposite: disavow, disclaim, disown, repudiate
   near: abjure, recant, renounce, retract, take back, unsay, withdraw, decline, refuse, reject, spurn, turn down, abstain (from), forbear, refrain (from), avoid, bypass, detour, abandon, abnegate, forsake, give up, relinquish, surrender, back down, back off, backtrack

5. to put up with (something painful or difficult)

   "he accepted all of life's vicissitudes without complaint"

   similar: abide, absorb, bear, bide (chiefly dialect), brook, countenance, endure, go, hack, handle, meet, pocket, stand, stick out, stomach, support, sustain, sweat out, take, tolerate, wear (British), live with, lump (it), stand for, tough it out
   related: allow, permit, suffer, swallow, reconcile (to), acquiesce, agree (with or to), assent (to), capitulate, consent (to), respect, submit (to), yield (to)
   near: decline, dismiss, refuse, reject, repudiate, spurn, turn down, combat, contest, fight, oppose, resist, avoid, bypass, circumvent, dodge, elude, escape, evade, miss, abstain (from), forbear, refrain (from)