Consent — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /kən-ˈsent/ con·sent

Meaning & Definition of Consent

Consent (verb)

  1. to give assent or approval, agree
  2. to be in concord in opinion or sentiment

Consent (noun)

  1. compliance in or approval of what is done or proposed by another, acquiescence
  2. agreement as to action or opinion; specifically, voluntary agreement by a people to organize a civil society and give authority to the government

Consent (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the approval by someone in authority for the doing of something

    "we had to get our neighbor's consent in order to trim the tree from his side"

    similar: allowance, authorization, clearance, concurrence, granting, green light, leave, license, permission, sanction, sufferance, warrant
    related: imprimatur, seal, signature, stamp, accreditation, certification, liberty, pass, concession, patent, permit, tolerance, toleration, acceptance, acquiescence, agreement, assent, OK, accord, grant
    opposite: interdiction, prohibition, proscription
    near: denial, refusal, rejection, revocation, taboo, injunction, veto, deterrence, discouragement, repression, suppression, ban, embargo, exclusion

Consent (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to give or express one's approval (as to a proposal)

    "refused to consent to the marriage"

    similar: accede, acquiesce, agree, assent, come round, subscribe
    related: adopt, embrace, espouse, abide, bear (with), endure, stand, suffer, tolerate, stomach, swallow, take, bow, knuckle under, relent, submit, succumb, yield
    opposite: dissent
    near: rebuff, refuse, reject, scorn, spurn, deny, gainsay

Related Entry: Consent (to) (verb)

Consent (to) is a different word from Consent. The synonyms below are for consent (to), not for consent.

  1. as in comply (with), accept

    similar: accede (to), accept, acquiesce, assent (to), comply (with), go (by), subscribe, agree, coincide, concur, affiliate, ally, associate, unite, collaborate, cooperate, get along, get on
    opposite: differ, disagree, clash, collide, conflict, bicker, counter, dispute, dissent, diverge, fall out, object, oppose, protest, quarrel, resist, rival, dissociate, separate, split

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Consent

The most common words with a similar meaning to Consent:

allowance, authorization, clearance, concurrence, granting, green light, leave, license, permission, sanction, sufferance, warrant, accede, acquiesce, agree, assent, come round, subscribe

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Consent

Words with the opposite meaning of Consent:

interdiction, prohibition, proscription, dissent

Related Words for Consent

imprimatur, seal, signature, stamp, accreditation, certification, liberty, pass, concession, patent, permit, tolerance, toleration, acceptance, acquiescence, agreement, OK, accord, grant, adopt, embrace, espouse, abide, bear (with), endure, stand, suffer, tolerate, stomach, swallow

Near Antonyms of Consent

denial, refusal, rejection, revocation, taboo, injunction, veto, deterrence, discouragement, repression, suppression, ban, embargo, exclusion, rebuff, refuse, reject, scorn, spurn, deny, gainsay

Word Forms of Consent

Inflections: consented, consenting, consents

Derived words: consenter (noun), consentingly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Consent

Middle English consenten, concenten "to be in agreement, assent (to), approve, comply, connive (in a crime)," borrowed from Anglo-French cunsentir, consentir "to grant, permit, hand over, support, give in, agree" (also continental Old French), going back to Latin consentīre "to join in feeling, be in agreement, concur in opinion, (of things) be in harmony," from con- con- + sentīre "to perceive, feel, discern" sense:1

First known use: 13th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Consent

Words & Phrases Containing Consent

consent decree, age of consent, informed consent, by common consent, by mutual consent, common consent, written consent

Frequently Asked Questions about Consent

What does "Consent" mean?

"Consent" means to give assent or approval, agree. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to give assent or approval, agree. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Consent"?

Other words for "Consent" include allowance, authorization, clearance, concurrence, granting, green light, leave and license. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Consent" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Consent"?

There are 55 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Consent". Common alternatives include allowance, authorization, clearance, concurrence, granting, green light, leave, license, permission and sanction.

What is the opposite of "Consent"?

Antonyms of "Consent" include interdiction, prohibition, proscription and dissent. Near antonyms include denial, refusal, rejection and revocation.

How do you use "Consent" in a sentence?

Examples of "Consent" in a sentence: "we had to get our neighbor's consent in order to trim the tree from his side"; "refused to consent to the marriage".

Is "Consent" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Consent" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Consent" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Consent" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. It is on the Academic Word List, so it appears often in IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, and university texts. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Consent"?

"Consent" is pronounced /kən-ˈsent/ and divided into syllables as con·sent.