Skip to Content

How to Properly Use the Word “Acquiesce” in a Sentence?

How to Properly Use the Word “Acquiesce” in a Sentence?

Taking time off and not committing to any task or activity after a long workday is something most people do willingly and happily. But doing things that are not necessarily “exciting” or “invigorating”, such as attending a meeting with a client after office hours, represents “acquiescence”. In other words, people “acquiesce”.

The verb “acquiesce” means “accepting something or agreeing to do a thing even when you’re not keen”. People acquiesce “under pressure”, “when they have no other option”, or “when disagreeing or revolting will have its bad outcomes”. Use the term in your texts to mean “unenthusiastic compliance”.

“Acquiesce” is not a commonly used term. Even people who claim to have good English command may struggle a bit to ascertain the term’s meaning at first and how to incorporate it in sentences correctly. If you find yourself not sure of the word, keep reading to learn more about it, how to use it in texts, its various forms, and lots more.

acquiesce woman credit card

“Acquiesce” – Meaning

The term “acquiesce” denotes “accepting, complying, or submitting without willingness or enthusiasm”. It essentially means “to quietly comply” or “do things half-heartedly”.

People who “acquiesce” allow something to take place by “not arguing” or “staying silent”. For example, employees in a firm “acquiesce” to what the boss or the management proposes. Another example is agreeing to watch a movie with your spouse when you are not interested and want to head to the remote beach for some quiet time instead.

The noun form of the word is “acquiescence”, and the past tense and past continuous tense forms are “acquiesced” and “acquiescing”, respectively. The adjective form is “acquiescent”, and the adverb version is “acquiescently”.

“Acquiescence” means “reluctant acceptance”, and words that can be used synonymously with it include “agreement”, “consent”, “accession”, “concurrence”, etc.

In the court of law, “acquiescence” denotes “an individual being a mute spectator to infringement of their rights and not objecting to the same”. As a result of that inaction or non-response, the person whose rights were violated may not be able to make legal assertions against the infringer or cannot obtain a ruling against the continued infraction.

The “acquiescence”, as per state law, implies a kind of “permission” resulting from passiveness or silence over an extended period.

The Term’s Origin

The word “acquiesce” has its roots in “quiescere”, a Latin word, which meant “to be quiet”.

The English term, however, wasn’t a direct adaptation of the Latin term. “Acquiesce” supposedly is derived from the Middle French word “acquiescer”, which meant “to rest satisfied”. However, the French term’s meaning has no associations with or any influence on “acquiesce”.

The first known documented use of the term in English was in 1651 when the word showed up in the works of Thomas Hobbes, the English philosopher.

aquiesce asenting not exact

“Acquiesce” and Related Terms

Though not wholly synonymous, terms such as “accede”, “assent”, “agree”, etc., could serve as replacement terms for “acquiesce”.

Unlike “acquiesce”, the alternative words do not necessarily imply “forbearance of opposition” or “tacit acceptance”. “Accede” means “yielding of consent or assent, usually under pressure”, which “acquiesce” doesn’t always denote.

The verb “agree” too has quite a lot in common with “acquiesce”, but it implies “attempts at persuasion” or “previous opinion differences”. There are such minor differences between “acquiesce” and its substitute terms, making “acquiesce” a relatively unique word.

Though the term “subscribe” also means “accepting” or “taking up a thing”, it also denotes doing the same willingly. The word, therefore, is not a correct replacement for “acquiesce”.

Using the Term “Acquiesce” in Texts

As mentioned above, “acquiesce” can take up different avatars or has various inflections. They cannot be used in texts interchangeably. (More on that later)

The verb “acquiesce” is typically used in sentences with the prepositions “in” or “to”. For example:

  • They had no option but to acquiesce to our demands.
  • We acquiesced to our boss’ whims and wishes.
  • The committee shall acquiesce in any outcome it has no accurate information about.
  • James was forced to acquiesce in retreat.
  • My parents were not keen on me joining the acting school as they wanted me to study business. I, however, hope they will acquiesce in time.
  • Reluctantly, she acquiesced in/to the plans.

The following are a few sentences that incorporate the noun form of “acquiesce”:

  • Her acquiescence lightened things up a bit, and the trip continued with little commotion and more fun after that.
  • I was quite taken aback by her acquiescence to their unreasonable demands.
  • Our good manners nudged us into cheerful acquiescence even though we were not too excited about the dinner plan.
  • The powerhouse’s acquiescence was particularly glaring.
  • The lack of effective oversight is proven by the judiciary and intelligence committees’ acquiescence.
  • The gesture, however, wasn’t too far from looking like a sign of acquiescence.

Compared to “acquiescent”, the adverb “acquiescently” is not as commonly used in texts. Regardless, the following are example sentences using either of the two:

  • The peasants turned out to be more acquiescent than the expectations.
  • I would not like him to think I am acquiescent in his schemes.
  • Jenna can switch from being acquiescent to being aggressive almost instantly.
  • Finding out who was the least acquiescent of them all would have been a significant shock.
  • They are too acquiescent and law-abiding.
  • My sister is of the rebel rather than the acquiescent kind.
  • There were rumors that he would be moved to the other department for his rebellious demeanor and replaced with someone more acquiescent.
  • When our kids’ future is at stake, we must not continue to remain acquiescent.
  • She accepted the plan acquiescently.

dis agree

Example Sentences with the Word “Acquiesce”

The following is a relatively long list of sentences incorporating the word “acquiesce”:

  • If teams acquiesce without openly showcasing their disagreement, it will only harm the organization’s working culture in the long run.
  • She shall acquiesce because she is sick and has no other resort.
  • The administration had to acquiesce and allow the students to have one last ball before they graduated out.
  • It was a brand-new phone, but she acquiesced and handed over the device to the robber.
  • I will rather acquiesce to his requirements than listen to him justifying why his demands were reasonable.
  • Though I am not keen on moving to the other team, I will acquiesce if the shifting will get me promoted.
  • His unwillingness to acquiesce got him fired.
  • I don’t think what you’re doing is correct, but I have no option but to acquiesce.
  • However, it’s much better to acquiesce than put up with the hardships that come from challenging the decision.
  • To acquiesce is better if it makes you look “professional” in the eyes of your readers or publishers.
  • One feels naturally inclined to acquiesce if the authority is legitimate.
  • The detractors of the system had the choice to refuse to acquiesce in a group.
  • To acquiesce to her claims of predestination and racial superiority was something I was not going to do.
  • She not just seemed to acquiesce but was quite proud of her actions too.

As mentioned above, “acquiesce” could be used in texts as “acquiesced” or “acquiescing”. Here are some example sentences using those terms:

  • She acquiesced to her husband’s refusal to offer medical treatment.
  • They demanded, and she acquiesced.
  • The four-person rock band acquiesced to the audience’s request for one more song.
  • The cops acquiesced to their demands.
  • The bank authorities acquiesced to the loan extension request.
  • Though she fought hard and long against the segregated parishes and churches, she acquiesced to give her kids access to quality education.
  • Planters acquiesced eventually as they kept control over the essential productive decisions.
  • She mulled over her chances and acquiesced.
  • He acquiesced, knowing the results won’t be to his liking.
  • She acquiesced, terrified to disagree.
  • If he had acquiesced, they would have been married by now.

The following is a list of sentences incorporating the word “acquiescing”:

  • The employers thought it was more sensible to go head-on against the unions than acquiescing to them.
  • Her integrity prevented her from acquiescing.
  • Though quite clearly acquiescing, the king was covertly getting ready for a war.
  • He laughed multiple times, acquiescing in her humor.
  • The wife acquiescing in everything her husband says is proof she loves him a bit too much.

Conclusion

Pronouncing the word “acquiesce” could be a tad tricky for some – thanks to the relatively complex spelling. The meaning, however, is pretty simple and easy to remember. When trying to incorporate the word in your texts, getting its spelling right would be a bigger task than fitting in the term in the correct sentence.

Also, as mentioned above, there are different forms or variations of the term. Use those adjective, noun, and adverb versions of the word in your texts whenever the need arises or the sentence demands. As far as using the replacement terms or synonyms in place of “acquiesce” is concerned, proceed with caution.

The alternative words may seem like they perfectly substitute “acquiesce”. But they may not, as there are nuances or subtle variations in their meanings that could be easily discerned and which may render the construct incorrect or awkward.