assent
noun
1 - the expression of approval or agreement:
a loud murmur of assent | he nodded assent.
- official agreement or sanction:
the governor has power to withhold his assent from a bill.
verb [intrans.]
2 - express approval or agreement, typically officially:
Roosevelt assented to the agreement |
[with direct speech ] “Guest house, then,” Frank assented cheerfully.
ascent
noun
1 - a climb or walk to the summit of a mountain or hill:
the first ascent of the Matterhorn | the routes of ascent can be retraced.
- an upward slope or path:
the ascent grew steeper.
2 - [in sing. ] an instance of rising through the air:
the first balloon ascent was in 1783.
• [in sing. ] a rise to an important position or a higher level:
his ascent to power.
Assenting to something means giving your approval, at least reluctantly. Sometimes people give a mere mental assent to an idea, without having any deep feelings about it. That’s why assent has a fairly mild connotation, similar to acquiesce, unlike similar, stronger words such as affirm or avow.
An ascent is an upward motion, or the path you take to move upwards. It can also be used technically to describe the steepness or grade of a road: “this road has an ascent of 5 degrees.” Assent doesn’t always mean a physical climb – the path to sainthood can be as difficult an ascent as the path up Mt. Everest.
As you think about assent and ascent, if you have trouble remembering which is which, you can think about their antonyms. (If you have trouble remembering what an antonym is, it’s a word that means the opposite of another word – a sort of “anti-word.”). The opposite of ascent (to go up) is descent (to go down). The opposite of assent (to approve) is dissent (to disapprove).
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"My spelling is Wobbly.
It's good spelling but it Wobbles,
and the letters get in the wrong places."
-- A. A. Milne
Ascent is a noun. It is the act or process of rising or progressing upward.
Ex. The plane began its ascent to 10,000 feet.
Assent also functions as a noun. However, it means agreement, accord, or acceptance.
Ex. He gave his assent to his daughter’s engagement.
Assent may also function as a verb. It is the act of agreeing with a suggestion or idea.
Ex. President Johnson assented to the proposal
to cut government spending.
to cut government spending.
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QUIZ
Test your understanding of the correct use of ascent and assent by answering the following sentences:
1. I’ll make my (ascent, assent) to the top of the cliff to see where the smoke is coming from.
2. Rockets must make their (ascent, assent) at an angle to stay on correct trajectory.
3. We must first have the (ascent, assent) of our parents to go to Vegas together.
4. I need the school’s (ascent, assent) to test out of the class.
5. When the rollercoaster made a steep (ascent, assent), David became scared.
6. Sara's father must (ascent, assent) to her move.
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1. I make my ascent to the top of the cliff to see where the smoke is coming from.
2. Rockets must make their ascent at an angle to stay on correct trajectory.
3. We must first have the assent of our parents to go to Vegas together.
4. I need the school’s assent to test out of the class.
5. When the rollercoaster made a steep ascent, David became scared.
6. Sara's father must assent to her move.
Sources:
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