Acquiesces

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Agrees to or accepts something silently, without expressing objections
2. Yields or submits to a situation or proposal without resistance
3. Conveys passive approval by not opposing or disputing a decision

Etymology: The root meaning is "to rest." The Latin verb "quiescere" combined "quies," meaning rest or quiet, with the prefix "ad-," so agreeing quietly is built into the word's core. The same Latin root gave English "quiet" and "quiescent," so stillness runs through the whole family. The sense of silent acceptance grew from that image of settling down and ceasing to push back. The verb form "acquiesces" simply marks a present-tense action by a single subject, as in "she acquiesces," while the base verb "acquiesce" carries the underlying meaning.

Synonyms: consents, agrees, assents, complies, submits

Antonyms: disagrees, refuses, rejects