n. 1
The act of accepting; the receiving of something offered, with acquiescence, approbation, or satisfaction; especially, favourable reception; approval.
the acceptance of a gift, office, doctrine, etc.
n. 2
An instance of that act.
n. 3
Belief in something; agreement, assent.

Related words

Phrases: banker's acceptance

Forms

Plural: acceptances → approvals, receptions, approbations, receivings…

Choose the right word

Acceptance or Approbation?

HARE Guesses at Truth first series, p. 549. [MACM. '66.] Acceptance refers to an object or action; approbation may refer to character or natural traits.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

receiving I'm looking forward to receiving letters from you.
approval This bill was sent to the Senate for its approval.
admittance No admittance during the performance.
approbation She liked him too little to care for his approbation.
adoption Tom's biological parents gave him up for adoption.

Popularity over time

Word	1850 → 2019	Trend
acceptance		falling
receiving		falling
approval		falling
admittance		falling
approbation		falling
adoption		steady

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

6 letters: taking², belief², assent²
7 letters: receipt², etendue
8 letters: approval³, adoption³, credence², espousal
9 letters: receiving³, reception³
10 letters: admittance³, toleration⁴, sufferance, acceptancy
11 letters: approbation⁴, acceptation
12 letters: satisfaction⁴
14 letters: acknowledgment⁴, acceptableness
15 letters: acknowledgement⁴

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (taking² = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français: acceptation
Deutsch: Annahme
Català: acceptació