unanimous consent

USAGE SUMMARY

"unanimous consent" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It refers to a situation where all individuals or parties involved in a decision or agreement are in complete agreement and approval. Example: "The proposal was passed by unanimous consent, with all members of the board in agreement."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It passed by unanimous consent.

The New York Times

Unanimous consent by committee members was required.

The New York Times

Senate approval could come by unanimous consent.

The New York Times

The treaty was approved by unanimous consent.

The New York Times

Both nominees were confirmed by unanimous consent.

The New York Times

You can do virtually anything with unanimous consent.

The New York Times

A footnote: on Wednesday night — by unanimous consent!

The New Yorker

Absentee voting will be allowed when unanimous consent exists.

Cornell University

"It failed by almost unanimous consent," he added.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

I ask unanimous consent that be printed in the RECORD.

Yale University

It passes new pacts only by unanimous consent.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "unanimous consent" when you want to emphasize that a decision or agreement was reached with the full and unqualified approval of everyone involved. This term is particularly useful in formal settings like legal proceedings, board meetings, or legislative sessions.

Common error

Be careful not to confuse "unanimous consent" with implied consent or tacit approval. "Unanimous consent" requires explicit agreement from everyone, while implied consent may arise from silence or inaction. Always ensure that all parties have affirmatively agreed when using this term.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "unanimous consent" functions primarily as a noun phrase, often acting as the subject or object of a sentence. It describes a specific type of agreement where everyone involved is in complete accord. As confirmed by Ludwig, this is a correct and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Academia

25%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Science

5%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "unanimous consent" is a frequently used and grammatically correct noun phrase that signifies complete agreement from all parties involved. Ludwig AI confirms its usability and correctness. It is most commonly found in news and media, academic, and formal business contexts, emphasizing its importance in describing formal and official decision-making processes. While alternatives like "unanimous approval" and "universal agreement" exist, it's crucial to ensure true and explicit agreement, distinguishing it from implied consent. It's a valuable phrase for indicating that everyone is on board with a specific decision or action.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unanimous acceptance

Replaces "consent" with "acceptance", emphasizing the positive reception of a proposal or decision.

unanimous approval

Substitutes "consent" with "approval", highlighting the formal endorsement by everyone involved.

universal agreement

Uses "universal agreement" instead of "unanimous consent", focusing on the overall consensus reached.

complete accord

Employs "complete accord" to denote a state of total agreement and harmony.

general consensus

Indicates a broad agreement among all parties, though it might imply slightly less formality than "unanimous consent".

agreement without dissent

Highlights the absence of any opposition or disagreement.

consent without objection

Stresses the lack of any objections, implying tacit agreement from all.

full agreement

A more straightforward way to express complete agreement.

all in agreement

A colloquial way of saying everyone is on the same page.

collective approval

Focuses on the group's collective decision and endorsement.

FAQs

How is "unanimous consent" typically used in a sentence?

Typically, "unanimous consent" is used to describe how a decision was made, such as "The motion passed by "unanimous consent"" or "The committee approved the measure by "unanimous consent"".

What are some alternatives to using "unanimous consent"?

Alternatives include "unanimous approval", "universal agreement", or "complete accord", depending on the context and level of formality.

Is "unanimous consent" the same as "majority rule"?

No, "unanimous consent" requires everyone to agree, while majority rule only needs more than 50% of the participants to agree. They are fundamentally different decision-making processes.

Can "unanimous consent" be withdrawn after it's been given?

Generally, once "unanimous consent" has been given, it's considered binding. However, in some circumstances, especially in legislative or parliamentary procedures, a motion to reconsider may be allowed, but this would require a new vote or agreement.