Meaning & use
noncommittal assent
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Meaning
phrasecountableformal
An agreement or sign of approval that avoids saying clearly yes or no.
Grammar: Countable: a noncommittal assent, noncommittal assents. Often used with 'give' or 'offer'.
Patterns
- give noncommittal assent
- offer noncommittal assent
- a noncommittal assent to something
She gave a noncommittal assent, nodding but saying nothing definite.
The committee offered noncommittal assent to the plan, leaving the details open.
His noncommittal assent frustrated those who wanted a clear answer.
Word forms
| plural | noncommittal assents |
|---|
Common combinations
- give noncommittal assent
- The manager gave noncommittal assent to the idea but did not approve it.
- offer noncommittal assent
- They offered noncommittal assent, avoiding any firm commitment.
- a nod of noncommittal assent
- He replied with a nod of noncommittal assent.
Synonyms and how they differ
- vague agreement
- Less formal and more general; it does not carry the same sense of avoiding commitment.
- qualified approval
- Suggests approval with limits, while noncommittal assent avoids stating any position clearly.
Opposites
Word family
- noncommittal adjective
- Not expressing a clear opinion or decision.
- assent noun
- Official agreement or approval.
Commonly confused: noncommittal assent or dissent?
noncommittal assent vs dissent
Dissent means disagreement, the opposite of assent. Noncommittal assent is a vague form of agreement, not disagreement.
Practice
What does 'noncommittal assent' most nearly mean?
Choose one answer.
Noncommittal means not committing to a clear position, and assent means agreement, so the phrase means a vague agreement. The other options describe firm agreement, refusal, or a document.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “noncommittal assent”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.