Vocabulary Spotlight

Acquiescent

Part of Speech: Adjective

Definition: Willing to accept or agree to something without protest; compliant or submissive.

“He was acquiescent to his manager’s demands, even if he disagreed.”

Pronunciation

[ak-wee-ES-uhnt]

Synonyms, Antonyms & Related Words

Synonyms

Compliant
Submissive
Yielding
Agreeable
Docile

Antonyms

Defiant
Resistant
Oppositional
Unyielding
Stubborn

Related Words

Acquiesce
Acquiescence
Compliance

Word Origin

“Acquiescent” comes from the Latin “acquiescere,” meaning “to find rest in” or “to be at peace with.”

Word Family

Adjective: Acquiescent – Inclined to accept or comply without resistance.

Noun: Acquiescence – The act of complying or accepting passively.

Mnemonics

Think “A Quiet Consent” – Acquiescent people agree without arguing.

Industry-specific Usage

Law

In legal contexts, acquiescent behavior might indicate implied consent or passive acceptance.

Workplace

An acquiescent employee may agree to additional tasks without protest.

Psychology

In psychology, an acquiescent personality is one that avoids confrontation and accepts situations as they are.

In Context

Acquiescent describes a tendency to accept or comply without resistance, often seen as being cooperative, though it may sometimes reflect reluctance.

Vocabulary Challenges

1. Which is an antonym of “Acquiescent”?

Compliant
Docile
Yielding
Defiant

‘Defiant’ is correct as it implies resistance, unlike acquiescent’s passivity.

2. Fill in the blank: The team was surprisingly _______ to the new policies, despite initial hesitation.

defiant
oppositional
acquiescent
resistant

‘Acquiescent’ is appropriate as it implies passive acceptance.

3. In which context would “acquiescent” be MOST appropriate?

Rebelling against an unfair rule
Quietly accepting a new policy
Objecting to a decision
Refusing to follow orders

‘Quietly accepting a new policy’ is appropriate as acquiescent implies accepting without protest.