Vocabulary C1 6 min read Updated 15 June 2026

Quick Answer

Assent means agreement or approval; as a verb it means to agree (the board gave its assent; she assented to the plan). Ascent means the act of climbing or rising upward, or an upward slope (the ascent of Everest; a steep ascent). They are spelled very alike and sound almost identical, so writers often slip. Remember: aSSent = Say yes (agree); aSCent = SCale a peak (climb up).

Assent and ascent are a classic pair of confusables. They differ by just one letter in the middle — ss versus sc — and in everyday British speech they sound almost the same. Yet their meanings have nothing in common: one is about agreeing, the other about going up. Because the spelling difference is so small, even confident writers reach for the wrong one, so it pays to fix the meanings firmly in your mind.

At a Glance: Assent vs Ascent

WordMeaningPart of SpeechCommon Use
assent agreement or approval; to agree Noun; also a verb give your assent, nod in assent, Royal Assent, assent to a plan
ascent the act of rising or climbing; an upward slope Noun the ascent of the mountain, a steep ascent, a slow ascent

Using “Assent”

Assent is most often a noun meaning agreement or official approval. It can also be a verb meaning to agree to something, especially formally. It belongs to slightly formal English — committees, officials, and documents give their assent.

Definition

1. (noun) Agreement or approval, especially formal or official: the committee gave its assent to the proposal. 2. (verb) To agree, often after consideration: he assented to the new terms. It comes from the Latin assentire, meaning “to agree.” In Britain, Royal Assent is the monarch’s formal approval that turns a bill into law.

When to use it

  • Formal approval: the board gave its assent
  • Nodding agreement: she nodded in assent
  • As a verb meaning to agree: he assented to the proposal
  • Legal and official contexts: Royal Assent, the king’s assent
  • Anywhere you mean “agreement” or “to say yes”

The committee gave its assent to the proposal after a long debate.

She nodded in assent as the chairman read out the plan.

He reluctantly assented to the new terms of the contract.

The bill received Royal Assent and became law that afternoon.

Key Patterns

give / grant your assent: the board gave its assent
nod / murmur in assent: she nodded in assent
assent to (verb): he assented to the plan

Using “Ascent”

Ascent is a noun only. It means the act of climbing or moving upward, or the upward slope itself. Think of climbers, aircraft, balloons, and rising prices or careers — anything that goes up.

Definition

1. (noun) The act of rising or climbing upward: the ascent of the mountain took six hours. 2. (noun) An upward slope or path: there was a steep ascent to the castle. 3. (noun, figurative) A rise to a higher position or level: her rapid ascent through the company. It comes from the Latin ascendere, “to climb up.”

When to use it

  • Climbing a mountain: the ascent of Everest
  • An upward slope: a steep ascent to the village
  • An aircraft or balloon rising: the balloon began its slow ascent
  • A figurative rise: his ascent to power
  • Anywhere you mean “going up” or “climbing”

The ascent of the mountain took the team almost six hours.

The balloon began its slow ascent into the morning sky.

There was a steep ascent to the castle on the hill.

Her rapid ascent through the firm surprised everyone.

Key Patterns

the ascent of + place: the ascent of the mountain
a steep / gradual ascent: a steep ascent to the top
begin / make an ascent: the plane began its ascent

The Key Difference: Agreeing vs Climbing

The single most important thing to remember is that assent and ascent have nothing to do with each other in meaning — they just look and sound alike. Assent is about agreement: saying yes, approving, consenting. Ascent is about movement: rising, climbing, going up. If you can replace the word with “agreement” or “approval,” you want assent. If you can replace it with “climb” or “rise,” you want ascent.

Agreement / approval → assent:

The minister gave her assent. (= she approved it)

Climb / rise → ascent:

The climbers began their ascent. (= they started going up)

The clue is hidden in the spelling. The ss in assent can stand for “say yes,” while the sc in ascent can stand for “scale a peak.” Lock those two hints together and the choice becomes simple.

Common Mistakes

The board gave its ascent to the merger.

The board gave its assent to the merger. (= its agreement; nothing to do with climbing)

The climbers began their assent at dawn.

The climbers began their ascent at dawn. (= their climb upward)

She nodded in ascent.

She nodded in assent. (= in agreement)

The bill received Royal Ascent.

The bill received Royal Assent. (= the monarch’s formal approval)

Special Expressions and Fixed Phrases

Several common expressions are fixed with assent and cannot be spelled with ascent:

  • Royal Assent — the monarch’s formal approval of a bill: the bill received Royal Assent
  • give / grant your assent — to approve formally: she gave her assent
  • nod in assent — to agree without speaking: he nodded in assent
  • by common assent — with everyone’s agreement: by common assent, she was the best candidate

And several are fixed with ascent:

  • the ascent of — the climb up something: the ascent of Ben Nevis
  • a steep ascent — a sharp upward slope: a steep ascent to the summit
  • begin / make an ascent — to start climbing: the plane began its ascent
  • rapid ascent — a fast rise, often figurative: her rapid ascent to fame
Memory Tip

aSSent has a double S — think “Say yes” to remember it means to agree. aSCent has SC — think “SCale a peak” or “up the scale,” both about going up. If you can swap the word for “agreement” or “approval,” choose assent; if you can swap it for “climb” or “rise,” choose ascent.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between assent and ascent?
Assent and ascent look and sound very similar but mean completely different things. Assent means agreement or approval, and as a verb it means to agree: the committee gave its assent; she assented to the plan. Ascent means the act of climbing or rising upward, or an upward slope: the ascent of the mountain; a steep ascent. A simple test: if the word means "agreement" or "approval," use assent; if it means "a climb" or "a rise," use ascent.
What does "assent" mean?
Assent is usually a noun meaning agreement or official approval: the board gave its assent to the proposal. It can also be a verb meaning to agree, often formally: he assented to the new terms. It comes from the Latin assentire, "to agree." In Britain you will often meet it in the phrase Royal Assent, which is the monarch's formal approval that turns a bill into law.
What does "ascent" mean?
Ascent is a noun meaning the act of climbing or moving upward, or the upward slope itself: the ascent of the mountain took six hours; there was a steep ascent to the castle. It can also be used figuratively for a rise to a higher position, as in her rapid ascent through the company. It comes from the Latin ascendere, "to climb up," and is always about going up.
Are assent and ascent homophones?
They are very close, but not perfectly identical for every speaker. In careful speech, assent stresses the first "s" sound, while ascent has a "sk"-like blend in the middle from the letters sc. In ordinary fast British speech, however, the two are often pronounced almost the same, which is exactly why they are so easily confused in writing. The safest guide is always the meaning of the sentence.
Is it "Royal Assent" or "Royal Ascent"?
It is always Royal Assent. Royal Assent is the formal agreement given by the monarch that turns a bill passed by Parliament into an Act of law. Because it is about the monarch's approval, the word is assent, meaning agreement. "Royal Ascent" would wrongly suggest the monarch climbing something, so it is never correct in this legal sense.
Can "assent" be a verb?
Yes. As well as being a noun, assent is a verb meaning to agree to something, especially after thought or in a formal setting: he assented to the proposal; the minister assented to the changes. The verb is usually followed by "to": you assent to a plan, to terms, or to a request. There is no verb "ascent" — ascent is only ever a noun.
Which word do I use for climbing a mountain?
You use ascent. The act of climbing a mountain is its ascent, as in the ascent of Everest or a difficult ascent to the summit. The word can also describe the upward slope itself: a steep ascent to the village. Anything that involves going up — a climber, an aircraft, a balloon, or even a price — takes ascent, never assent.
How can I remember which spelling to use?
Use the spelling itself as a clue. Assent has a double s — think "Say yes," because to assent is to agree. Ascent has the letters sc — think "Scale a peak" or "up the scale," both of which are about climbing. If you can replace the word with "agreement" or "approval," choose assent; if you can replace it with "climb" or "rise," choose ascent.
Can "ascent" be used figuratively?
Yes. As well as describing a physical climb, ascent is often used figuratively for a rise to a higher position, status, or level. You might read about a politician's ascent to power, an actor's rapid ascent to fame, or a company's ascent up the rankings. In each case the idea is still upward movement, so the spelling remains ascent, with sc, not assent.
What does "by common assent" mean?
"By common assent" means by the general agreement of everyone involved, with no real disagreement. For example: by common assent, she was the most gifted player in the team. Here assent again means agreement, so the spelling uses ss. It would make no sense as "ascent," which is about climbing, so the phrase is always written by common assent.

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