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acceptance

n.
US //ækˈsɛptəns// UK //ɐksˈɛptəns// ac·cep·tance
  1. 1 agreement or approval (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the act of saying 'yes' to an offer, an invitation, or an idea.

    the act of receiving something offered with approval or satisfaction; the formal agreement to terms or an invitation.

    Example

    We are waiting for their formal acceptance of our job offer.

    Example

    The committee's swift acceptance of the proposal surprised the board, as they had expected a lengthy debate over the budget.
  2. 2 social belonging (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the feeling of being included or welcomed by a group of people.

    the state of being received or admitted into a group, community, or social circle.

    Example

    Moving to a new school is hard until you find acceptance among your classmates.

    Example

    The immigrant community sought social acceptance through local outreach programmes and cultural exchange events.
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  1. 3 dealing with reality (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the act of admitting that a situation is true or real, even if it is difficult.

    the process of acknowledging a situation or fact, often a negative one, without attempting to protest or change it.

    Example

    Acceptance of the facts helped her move on after the accident.

    Example

    Therapy often focuses on the acceptance of past trauma as a necessary step toward emotional recovery.
  2. 4 legal or financial agreement (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal Technical Law

    a formal or legal agreement to pay a debt or follow the rules of a contract.

    a person's assent to the terms of a contract or a bill of exchange, creating a legally binding obligation.

    Example

    The contract is not valid until there is a clear acceptance of the terms.

    Example

    In contract law, the mirror image rule requires that the acceptance must exactly match the terms of the original offer to be valid.

    Usage

    Often used in the context of 'offer and acceptance' in contract law.
  3. 5 general belief (n.)
    C1 Advanced Academic

    when an idea or a word's meaning is believed or used by most people.

    the state of being widely believed, used, or recognized as correct or standard.

    Example

    This theory has gained wide acceptance among scientists over the last decade.

    Example

    The term has found general acceptance in the linguistic community, despite its origins as a colloquialism.
Origin

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Proto-Indo-European *kap- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *kapyéti Proto-Italic *kapjō Old Latin kapiō Latin capiō Latin accipiō Latin acceptārelbor. Old French accepterder. Middle French acceptanceder. English acceptance * First attested in 1574. From Middle French acceptance, from Old French accepter (“accept”). Equivalent to accept + -ance.

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