Definition

Noun: 1. Implied or silent agreement: The act of giving permission or approval to something through one's silence, lack of objection, or inaction, rather than through explicit verbal or written agreement. It is often inferred from conduct or circumstances. 2. (Legal context) Tacit approval of wrongdoing: In law, the passive acceptance or condoning of an illegal or wrongful act by not opposing or reporting it, which can imply legal complicity or endorsement.

Usage

• Tacit consent is an uncountable noun phrase. It is typically used with verbs like , , , , , and .
• It often appears in formal, academic, or legal discussions about ethics, governance, social norms, and law.
• Common structures: "by tacit consent," "with the tacit consent of," "tacit consent was given."

Examples

• General Usage:
  • The team proceeded with the plan by tacit consent, as no one voiced any objections during the meeting.
  • His continued presence at the meetings was interpreted as tacit consent to the new policies.
• Legal/Formal Context:
  • The court ruled that the landlord's failure to act on the known lease violations constituted tacit consent to the tenant's activities.
  • In some jurisdictions, tacit consent to a search can be inferred from a person's cooperative behavior.

Advanced Usage

• "tacit consent of the governed": A political theory concept suggesting that a government's legitimacy derives from the people's silent or implied agreement, even if they do not vote or protest.
  • The philosopher argued that all political authority is founded on the tacit consent of the governed.

Variants and Related Words

• Tacit (adjective): Understood or implied without being stated directly.
  • They had a tacit agreement not to discuss work at home.
• Tacitly (adverb): In a tacit manner; by implication.
  • The manager tacitly approved the change by not stopping it.

Synonyms

• Implied consent: Permission that is not expressly granted but can be inferred from actions.
• Silent assent: Agreement expressed through silence.
• Acquiescence: The reluctant acceptance of something without protest.
• Complicity: Involvement in a wrongful act (implies stronger association with wrongdoing).

Antonyms

• Explicit consent: Clear, direct, and unmistakable permission.
• Express objection: A stated and direct disagreement or refusal.
• Dissent: The expression or holding of opinions at variance with those previously or commonly held.

Related Idioms/Phrases

• To turn a blind eye: To pretend not to notice something bad or illegal, which often results in giving tacit consent.
  • By turning a blind eye to the safety violations, management gave its tacit consent to the dangerous practices.

Noun

1. (law) tacit approval of someone's wrongdoing