Meaning & use
accept
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Meanings
verbtransitive
To willingly take or receive something that someone offers, gives, or hands to you.
Grammar: Takes an object: accept the parcel, not accept to the parcel.
Patterns
- accept something
- accept something from someone
- accept something gladly/willingly
She accepted the keys and thanked the landlord.
He accepted an invitation to dinner at their home.
Please accept this small gift as a token of thanks.
verbtransitive
To agree to a proposal, plan, condition, or arrangement that someone puts forward.
Grammar: Takes an object such as terms, an offer, or a decision: accept the terms.
Patterns
- accept something
- accept an offer/invitation/terms
- accept that something is true
The union accepted the new contract after long talks.
We cannot accept these conditions without checking them.
The company accepted the deal because the price was fair.
verbtransitive
To recognize that an unpleasant fact is true and stop trying to deny or change it.
Grammar: Often takes a that-clause or a noun: accept the truth, accept that plans failed.
Patterns
- accept something
- accept that something
- come to accept something
It took months for him to accept the diagnosis.
She finally accepted that the project would not be finished on time.
We must accept uncertainty when evidence is incomplete.
verbtransitive
To treat a person or idea as welcome, valid, or belonging to a group or situation.
Grammar: Common with as or into: accept someone as a member.
Patterns
- accept someone as something
- accept someone into something
- accept someone for who they are
The neighborhood accepted the new family quickly.
She was accepted into the association last spring.
A fair workplace accepts people for who they are.
Word forms
| third person singular | accepts |
|---|---|
| past tense | accepted |
| past participle | accepted |
| -ing form | accepting |
Common combinations
- accept responsibility
- The manager accepted responsibility for the delay and explained the fix.
- accept an offer
- After comparing the details, Lena accepted the offer from the smaller firm.
- willingly accept
- Most parents willingly accept help when a child is ill.
- accept someone as
- The committee accepted Ravi as its youngest trustee.
Synonyms and how they differ
- receive
- Receive means to be given something; it is neutral and does not always imply willing approval.
- agree to
- Agree to fits proposals and conditions, but not physically taking an object.
- approve
- Approve emphasizes judging something good or right, while accept can mean merely taking or allowing it.
- acknowledge
- Acknowledge fits recognizing facts; it is weaker than accept when change or emotional adjustment is involved.
Opposites
Word family
- acceptable adjective
- Good enough to be allowed or considered suitable.
- acceptably adverb
- In a way that is satisfactory or tolerable.
- acceptance noun
- The act of accepting, or a favorable response to a person or idea.
- accepted adjective
- Generally agreed on or recognized as standard.
Commonly confused: accept or except?
accept vs except
Accept means receive or agree; except means leave out or other than. Compare accept the rules with everyone except Sam came.
Practice
Choose the best sentence.
Choose one answer.
Accept is transitive here and takes the object the gift. The other prepositions do not fit after accept in this receiving sense.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “accept”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.