accepted; accepting; accepts
1
a
: to receive (something offered) willingly
accept a gift
b
: to be able or designed to take or hold (something applied or added)
a surface that will not accept ink
2
: to give admittance or approval to
accept her as one of the group
3
a
: to endure without protest or reaction
accept poor living conditions
b
: to regard as proper, normal, or inevitable
an idea that is widely accepted
c
: to recognize as true : believe
refused to accept the explanation
4
a
: to make a favorable response to
accept an offer
b
: to agree to undertake (a responsibility)
accept a job
5
: to assume an obligation to pay
also
: to take in payment
we don't accept personal checks
6
of a deliberative body
: to receive (a legislative report) officially
: to receive favorably something offered
—usually used with of
a heart more disposed to accept of his—
Jane Austen
Jane Austen
Examples of accept in a Sentence
When Bess was born, my mother had a hard time accepting many of our parenting choices.
—Kelly Coyle DiNorcia, Mothering, March & April 2008
Despite Alexander's general skepticism about speed measurements, he does accept the cheetah as probably the fastest known running species. The measurement he finds most reliable, 29 m/s (about 65 mph), comes from a 1997 record along a 200-meter course clocked by an experienced timekeeper for athletic races.
—Susan Milius, Science News, 16 Aug. 2008
The Edinburgh Christ in the House of Martha and Mary doesn't look like a Vermeer, although its signature has been accepted as genuine.
—James Fenton, New York Review of Books, 6 Nov. 2008
They offered him the job, and he accepted it.
They offered him the job, and he accepted.
The store doesn't accept credit cards.
a surface that will not accept ink
a computer program ready to accept commands
They accepted some applications and rejected others.
She's still trying to get her manuscript accepted for publication.
They refused to accept his resignation.
a word that has come to be accepted as standard
This treatment is now accepted by many doctors.
Kelly Coyle DiNorcia, Mothering, March & April 2008
Despite Alexander's general skepticism about speed measurements, he does accept the cheetah as probably the fastest known running species. The measurement he finds most reliable, 29 m/s (about 65 mph), comes from a 1997 record along a 200-meter course clocked by an experienced timekeeper for athletic races.
—Susan Milius, Science News, 16 Aug. 2008
The Edinburgh Christ in the House of Martha and Mary doesn't look like a Vermeer, although its signature has been accepted as genuine.
—James Fenton, New York Review of Books, 6 Nov. 2008
They offered him the job, and he accepted it.
They offered him the job, and he accepted.
The store doesn't accept credit cards.
a surface that will not accept ink
a computer program ready to accept commands
They accepted some applications and rejected others.
She's still trying to get her manuscript accepted for publication.
They refused to accept his resignation.
a word that has come to be accepted as standard
This treatment is now accepted by many doctors.
Recent Examples on the Web
The 159-year-old French retailer will now accept cryptocurrencies through a partnership with Binance Pay and Lyzi.
—Rhonda Richford, WWD, 20 Nov. 2024
When the race for president is over every four years in the U.S., one candidate delivers a victory speech while the other, typically, accepts defeat in a concession speech.
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 20 Nov. 2024
Rent relief available The City of Milpitas has reopened its rent relief program and is accepting new applications.
—Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 18 Nov. 2024
The gladiator experience will officially begin accepting requests online on Nov. 27 and will close Dec. 9.
—Sydney Borchers, Fox News, 18 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for accept 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Rhonda Richford, WWD, 20 Nov. 2024
When the race for president is over every four years in the U.S., one candidate delivers a victory speech while the other, typically, accepts defeat in a concession speech.
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 20 Nov. 2024
Rent relief available The City of Milpitas has reopened its rent relief program and is accepting new applications.
—Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 18 Nov. 2024
The gladiator experience will officially begin accepting requests online on Nov. 27 and will close Dec. 9.
—Sydney Borchers, Fox News, 18 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for accept
Dictionary Entries Near accept
Cite this Entry
“Accept.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accept. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
accept
verb
ac·cept
ik-ˈsept 
ak-
1
a
: to receive or take willingly
accept a gift
accepted her as a member
b
: to be able or designed to take or hold (something applied or added)
a surface that will not accept ink
a computer program ready to accept commands
2
a
: to agree to
accept an offer
b
: to agree to undertake (a responsibility)
accept a job
c
: to take on an obligation to pay
also
: to take in payment
don't accept checks
3
: to think of as proper or normal
the idea is widely accepted
accepter
noun
or acceptor
-ˈsep-tər
Legal Definition
accept
transitive verb
ac·cept
ik-ˈsept, ak-
1
a
: to receive with consent
accept a gift
accept service
b
: to assent to the receipt of and treat in such a way as to indicate ownership of
accepted the shipment despite discovering defects in the merchandise
compare reject
Note: Under section 2-606(1) of the Uniform Commercial Code, a buyer accepts goods if: 1) he or she indicates to the seller after a reasonable opportunity to inspect them that he or she will keep them; 2) he or she fails to effectively reject them; 3) he or she acts in a way that is inconsistent with the seller's ownership of the goods.
2
: to make an affirmative or favorable response to
specifically
: to indicate by words or action one's assent to (an offer) and willingness to enter into a contract
Note: A contract is created when the offer is accepted.
3
: to assume orally, in writing, or by conduct an obligation to pay
accepting a draft
4
of a deliberative body
: to receive (a report) officially (as from a committee)
1
: to receive favorably something offered
—usually used with of
no person…shall…accept of any present—U.S. Constitution art. I
U.S. Constitution art. I2
: to receive and assume ownership of goods
under section 2-606(1), buyer has accepted if he has done any of the acts described therein—J. J. White and R. S. Summers
J. J. White and R. S. SummersLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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