accept

/əkˈsɛpt/
verbBeginner to receive or agree to something
general

to receive something willingly or agree to something

He accepted the gift graciously.

He received the gift politely and thanked the giver.

The company accepted the terms of the contract.

The company agreed to the conditions in the contract.

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Can be used for physical objects, ideas, or conditions.

formal

to admit or acknowledge something as true or valid

The court accepted the evidence presented by the defense.

The court recognized the evidence as valid and considered it in the case.

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Often used in legal or formal contexts.

Collocations

accept responsibilityto take ownership of one's actionsaccept an offerto agree to a proposal or invitationaccept a challengeto willingly take on a difficult task

Related Phrases

accept the inevitablephrase
to acknowledge something that cannot be changed
accept someone with open armsidiom
to welcome someone warmly

💡Pro Tip

Common Prepositions

'Accept' is often followed by 'to' (accept to a job) or 'of' (accept of a challenge).

Gold Rule

Formal vs. Informal

In formal contexts, 'accept' is often used with 'to' or 'of' (e.g., 'accept to a position'). In informal contexts, it can be used without a preposition (e.g., 'accept the offer').

📖Word Origin

From Middle English 'accepten', from Latin 'acceptare' (to receive), from 'ad-' (to) + 'capere' (to take).

📝Usage Notes

Can be followed by direct or indirect objects. Often used with 'to' or 'of' in formal contexts.

Word Breakdown

ac-
to
prefix
+
-cept
to take
root
English Dictionary