Meaning & use
consenting
Last updated
“consenting” is a form of “consent”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
adjectivebefore a noun
Giving permission or agreeing to something, especially in a formal or legal situation.
Grammar: Used before a noun to describe the person who agrees: the consenting adult, the consenting party.
Patterns
- consenting adult
- consenting party
- consenting partner
The contract is only valid if both consenting parties sign it.
The study was carried out with consenting adults who understood the risks.
Only consenting patients were included in the trial.
verbintransitive
Present participle of consent: agreeing to something or giving permission for it to happen.
Grammar: No object; usually followed by to: she consented to the operation.
Patterns
- consenting to something
- consenting to do something
She is consenting to the treatment after talking with her doctor.
By staying in the building, they were consenting to the new rules.
Word forms
| base form | consent |
|---|---|
| third person singular | consents |
| past tense | consented |
| past participle | consented |
| -ing form | consenting |
Common combinations
- consenting adult
- The film is intended for consenting adults only.
- consenting party
- Both consenting parties agreed to the terms.
- mutually consenting
- The arrangement was mutually consenting and fully legal.
- consenting to something
- He signed the form, consenting to the search.
Synonyms and how they differ
- agreeing
- More general; it can describe any kind of agreement, not only formal permission.
- willing
- Focuses on being ready to do something rather than on giving formal permission.
Opposites
Word family
- consent noun
- Permission or agreement for something to happen.
- consent verb
- To agree to something or give permission.
- consensual adjective
- Agreed to by everyone involved.
Commonly confused: consenting or consensus?
consenting vs consensus
A consensus is general agreement among a group; consenting is about one person giving permission.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'consenting' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Consent' is followed by 'to', so 'consenting to the surgery' is correct. 'Consent' does not take a direct object, so 'consenting the surgery' is wrong, and the prepositions 'for' and 'of' do not fit this pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “consenting”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.