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accept
/əkˈsɛpt/
consent to receive
She accepted the job offer without hesitation.
She agreed to take the job immediately.
general
To consent to receive or undertake something offered.
The university accepted 500 new students this year.
The university admitted 500 new students.
He accepted the apology and forgave her.
He agreed to the apology and stopped being angry.
Often implies voluntary agreement or acknowledgment of something's validity.
general
To regard as normal or usual.
She accepted her fate after the diagnosis.
She resigned herself to her situation.
Implies passive agreement rather than active consent.
general
To believe or come to recognize as valid or correct.
He accepted the theory after reviewing the evidence.
He acknowledged the theory as correct.
Common in academic or intellectual contexts.
Collocations
accept responsibilitytake accountabilityaccept an invitationagree to attendaccept the consequencesface the results
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Prepositions with 'accept'
Use 'of' for things (accept an offer of help) and 'from' for people (accept a gift from a friend). Avoid 'accept to'—it's incorrect.
Gold Rule
Accept vs. Except
'Accept' means to receive or agree; 'except' means to exclude. 'I accept your apology' vs. 'Everyone came except John.'
Word Origin
From Latin *acceptare* (to receive), frequentative of *accipere* (to take to oneself), from *ad-* (to) + *capere* (to take).
Usage Notes
Used in both formal and informal contexts. In legal or formal settings, 'accept' often implies official agreement (e.g., 'The court accepted the plea'). In social contexts, it can imply tolerance (e.g., 'She accepts his flaws').
Word Breakdown
ac-
prefix meaning 'to' or 'toward'
prefix-cept
root meaning 'take' or 'receive'
rootEnglish Dictionary