consent
To give permission for something to happen or to agree to a proposal or request. It typically implies a formal or official agreement rather than a casual one.
Examples
3 of 5I cannot consent to your request without checking with my parents first.
I cannot agree to what you are asking until I talk to my parents.
The patient must consent to the surgery before the procedure can begin.
The person being treated needs to give permission for the operation to start.
She wouldn't consent to going to the party with us even though we asked many times.
She refused to agree to come to the party with our group.
Word Family
Memory Tip
The prefix 'con-' means together, and '-sent' (from sentire) means to feel. To consent is to 'feel together' or reach a shared agreement.
Quick Quiz
The director would not ___ to the changes in the script until he saw the new budget.
Correct!
The correct answer is: consent
Examples
I cannot consent to your request without checking with my parents first.
everydayI cannot agree to what you are asking until I talk to my parents.
The patient must consent to the surgery before the procedure can begin.
formalThe person being treated needs to give permission for the operation to start.
She wouldn't consent to going to the party with us even though we asked many times.
informalShe refused to agree to come to the party with our group.
The participants were asked to consent to the terms of the research study.
academicPeople in the study had to agree to the specific rules of the academic project.
The board of directors finally consented to the merger after months of negotiation.
businessThe company leaders eventually agreed to join the two businesses together.
Word Family
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
by mutual consent
with the agreement of everyone involved
age of consent
the legal age at which a person is considered old enough to agree to certain activities
silence implies consent
the idea that if you don't object, you are agreeing
Often Confused With
Content refers to being satisfied or the subject matter of something, while consent refers to giving permission.
Assent is often used for agreeing with an opinion or belief, while consent usually involves permission for an action.
Usage Notes
Consent is primarily used in formal, legal, or medical contexts. It is almost always followed by the preposition 'to' when indicating the object of agreement.
Common Mistakes
Learners often omit the preposition 'to'; you do not 'consent a plan,' you 'consent TO a plan.'
Memory Tip
The prefix 'con-' means together, and '-sent' (from sentire) means to feel. To consent is to 'feel together' or reach a shared agreement.
Word Origin
Derived from the Latin 'consentire', which combines 'com' (with/together) and 'sentire' (to feel).
Grammar Patterns
Cultural Context
In Western legal and medical ethics, 'informed consent' is a fundamental requirement to ensure individuals have autonomy over their bodies and data.
Quick Quiz
The director would not ___ to the changes in the script until he saw the new budget.
Correct!
The correct answer is: consent
Related Phrases
Related Vocabulary
Assent is the formal expression of agreement or approval, ty...
authorizationThe official permission or legal power granted to someone to...
accordA formal agreement or treaty between parties, or a state of...
agreementA negotiated and typically legally binding arrangement betwe...
complianceCompliance is the act of following a rule, law, or specific...
Related Words
to
A1Used to indicate the place, person, or thing that someone or something moves toward. It can also mark the recipient of an action or the limit of a range.
and
A1A primary conjunction used to connect words, phrases, or clauses that are grammatically equal. It indicates addition, a sequence of events, or a relationship between two things.
a
A1A word used before a singular noun that is not specific or is being mentioned for the first time. It is used only before words that begin with a consonant sound to indicate one of something.
that
A1This word is a demonstrative pronoun used to indicate a specific person, object, or idea that is further away in space or time from the speaker. It is also used to refer back to something that has already been mentioned or to introduce a clause that identifies something.
I
A1The pronoun 'I' is used by a speaker or writer to refer to themselves as the subject of a verb. It is the first-person singular subject pronoun in English and is always capitalized regardless of its position in a sentence.
for
A1Used to show who is intended to have or use something, or to explain the purpose or reason for an action. It is also frequently used to indicate a specific duration of time.
not
A1A function word used to express negation or denial. It is primarily used to make a sentence or phrase negative, often following an auxiliary verb or the verb 'to be'.
with
A1A preposition used to indicate that people or things are together, in the same place, or performing an action together. It can also describe the instrument used to perform an action or a characteristic that someone or something has.
he
A1A pronoun used to refer to a male person or animal that has already been mentioned or is easily identified. It functions as the subject of a sentence.
you
A1Used to refer to the person or people that the speaker is addressing. It is the second-person pronoun used for both singular and plural subjects and objects.
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