accede
v.v. to agree to a request or to take over a position of power. It is a formal word often used when someone in charge says yes to a demand.
v. to agree to a request, demand, or proposal; to assume a position of authority or office. Often used in formal or legal contexts to describe the granting of a privilege or the taking of a title.
The committee decided to accede to the request for more funding.
After the previous president resigned, the vice president was expected to accede to the office immediately.
The board of directors eventually acceded to the shareholders' demands, though only after a lengthy and contentious series of meetings that threatened to derail the merger entirely.
First attested in the early 15th century. From Middle English acceden, from Latin accēdō (“approach, accede”), formed from ad (“to, toward, at”) + cēdō (“move, yield”) (English cede). Compare French accéder. Unrelated to ascend, aside from the common ad prefix.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Last updated June 4, 2026