Meaning & use
agree on or with
Last updated
Meanings
phrasefixed phrase
to reach the same decision about something after discussing it with other people
Grammar: Used with a noun naming the shared decision: agree on a price, agree on a date.
Patterns
- agree on something
- agree on doing something
- agree on something with someone
The two sides finally agreed on a price for the house.
We agreed on meeting at seven outside the station.
Have you agreed on a name for the baby yet?
phrasefixed phrase
to have the same opinion as someone, or to think that an idea or statement is correct
Grammar: Takes a person or an idea as its object: I agree with you; I agree with that view.
Patterns
- agree with someone
- agree with something
- agree with someone about something
I agree with you about the schedule — it is too tight.
She doesn't agree with the way the report describes the results.
Do you agree with what the professor said in class?
Common combinations
- agree on a date
- They still haven't agreed on a date for the wedding.
- agree on a price
- The buyer and seller agreed on a price after a long talk.
- agree with someone
- I agree with Maria on most things.
- agree with a decision
- The whole team agrees with the decision to delay the launch.
- agree with the findings
- Most scientists agree with the findings of the new study.
Synonyms and how they differ
- settle on
- Focuses on ending discussion and choosing one option; 'agree on' stresses that several people share the choice.
- see eye to eye
- Informal and means sharing the same opinion generally, not deciding one detail together.
- concur
- Formal and often used in writing; it means the same as 'agree with' but sounds official.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: agree on or with or agree to? agree on or with or agree with?
agree on or with vs agree to
'Agree to' means you accept a suggestion or give permission (agree to a plan), while 'agree on' means several people settle a detail together.
agree on or with vs agree with
'Agree with' is for people and opinions; it is also used for food that makes you feel ill (spicy food doesn't agree with me).
Practice
The committee spent two hours trying to ___ a new budget.
Choose one answer.
'Agree on' fits because the committee is settling one shared decision, the budget. 'Agree with' needs a person or opinion, and 'agree to' would mean accepting someone else's suggestion rather than deciding together.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “agree on or with”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.