acquiescence
acquiescence Lexical Profile
acquiescence Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The reluctant acceptance of something without protest; passive assent or compliance.
"To the surprise of the board, the committee's controversial proposal was met with quiet acquiescence rather than heated debate."
In law, a person's tacit or passive acceptance of an infringement of their rights through silence or failure to make a timely objection, which may bar them from seeking equitable relief.
"The court ruled that the landowner's decades of acquiescence regarding the neighbor's fence prevented him from claiming trespass."
Word Nuance & Usage
Unlike 'consent' or 'approval', which imply active agreement, 'acquiescence' specifically denotes passive or reluctant acceptance of a situation without open protest.
• Rhymes for acquiescence
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the early 17th century from French acquiescence, derived from Latin acquiescere ('to find rest in, assent to'), from ad- ('to') + quiescere ('to become quiet or rest').