acquiesce
- To accept or comply with something reluctantly but without open protest.
In a sentence
- Though she disagreed with the decision, she chose to acquiesce rather than prolong the argument.
- The board ultimately acquiesced to the shareholders' demands after months of pressure.
Usage note. Spelling is tricky due to the silent 'c' in '-cqu-': remember 'ac-qui-esce'; many misspell it as 'aquiesce' or 'acquiese', dropping the final 'c'.
Where it comes from
English acquiesce — “accept without protest” · entered English 17th c.
From French 'acquiescer', from Latin 'acquiescere', meaning 'to rest, to remain at rest in', composed of 'ad-' (to) and 'quiescere' (to rest, be quiet), from 'quies' (rest, quiet). The word entered English in the early 17th century, around the 1620s. It carries the sense of settling into a state of passive acceptance.