Assent vs. consent

What does assent mean?

Assent can be a noun or verb which means the expression of approval or agreement.

For example:

·      She assented to the change of company policy.

What does consent mean?

Consent can be a noun or verb which means permission or agreement for something.

For example:

·      It’s important you give your informed consent when participating in scientific studies.

What’s the difference between assent and consent?

Assent indicates the approval of something after careful consideration, while consent implies something is being allowed. For consent, the consenter may not necessarily be happy about the outcome.

For example:

·      The chief scientist assented to the change of wording for the informed consent form.