acceptance

noun

ac·​cep·​tance ik-ˈsep-tən(t)s How to pronounce acceptance (audio)
ak-
1
: the quality or state of being accepted or acceptable
His theories have gained widespread acceptance.
2
: the act of accepting something or someone : the fact of being accepted : approval
acceptance of responsibility
3
law : an agreeing either expressly or by conduct to the act or offer of another so that a contract is concluded and the parties become legally bound
4
a
: the act of accepting a time draft or bill of exchange for payment when due according to the specified terms
b
: an accepted draft or bill of exchange
5

Examples of acceptance in a Sentence

her acceptance into the club The university has sent me a letter of acceptance. He delivered an acceptance speech after he was chosen as the party's presidential nominee.
Recent Examples on the Web Brown, as Monk’s brother, is on a reckless journey to find truth and acceptance as a gay man. Ken Makin, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Mar. 2024 Morgan Stanley considers joining the trend, highlighting Bitcoin's growing acceptance and investor confidence in the cryptocurrency market. Detroit Free Press, 2 Mar. 2024 Seeks acceptance and validation through helping, pleasing or rescuing others. Mark Travers, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 There's power in seeing people live out what acceptance actually looks like, which oftentimes isn't shining a spotlight on someone because of their identity. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 28 Feb. 2024 Yet as the years went on, a hybrid compromise was reached which, while creating grudging acceptance, didn’t necessarily thrill anyone. Chloe Berger, Fortune, 27 Feb. 2024 The center is a national organization that advocates for the understanding and acceptance of transgender people. Susan Miller, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024 How Montford Point Marines trained and served Compliance with Roosevelt’s order didn’t necessarily mean instant acceptance for Black men who joined the Marines. Graham Womack, Sacramento Bee, 22 Feb. 2024 Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated as of 1/1/21) and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement (updated as of 1/1/21). Natalya Lobanova, The New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'acceptance.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Anglo-French, "agreement to abide by the act on another," from accepter "to accept" + -ance -ance

First Known Use

circa 1530, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of acceptance was circa 1530

Dictionary Entries Near acceptance

Cite this Entry

“Acceptance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acceptance. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

acceptance

noun
ac·​cep·​tance ik-ˈsep-tən(t)s How to pronounce acceptance (audio)
ak-
1
: the act of accepting
2
: the quality or state of being accepted or acceptable
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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