agreement

agreement — noun

1. a state where two or more people share the same view, or one person says yes to

1.nounB2
Definition

a state where two or more people share the same view, or one person says yes to a plan, idea, or request — for example, nodding when a friend suggests a film, or a parent giving permission for a school trip.

Example

The teachers were in full agreement about banning phones during class.

in (full) agreement about something

Citlali nodded in agreement when her brother said the soup needed more salt.

nod in agreement

Common collocations
  • nod in agreement
  • in full agreement
  • reach agreement on
  • wide agreement
  • general agreement
  • without the agreement of
Synonyms
  • consensus

    more formal; suggests a wide group has reached the same view

  • approval

    stresses giving permission rather than sharing an opinion

  • consent

    more formal; permission to let something happen

  • accord

    formal or written; often used in news and politics

Antonyms
  • disagreement

    the direct opposite — people hold different views

  • dispute

    stronger; suggests an active argument, not just different views

Grammar Patterns

in agreement with somebody

agreement that + clause

reach agreement on something

Usage Note

Usually uncountable in this sense. Distinguish from sense 2: here 'agreement' names the shared opinion or the act of saying yes, not a written deal. Common with 'in', 'reach', 'come to', 'nod in', and 'with'.

Common Mistakes

I am in agreement of your plan.
I am in agreement with your plan.
use 'with' for the person or idea you agree with, not 'of'.
There is a wide agreement that the rules are unfair.
There is wide agreement that the rules are unfair.
when meaning shared opinion, agreement is uncountable, so no article.

2. a plan or set of rules that two or more sides decide on together, often written

2.nounB2
Definition

a plan or set of rules that two or more sides decide on together, often written down and signed — for example, a rental contract, a peace deal between countries, or a quiet promise between two friends to share costs.

Example

Esme signed a two-year rental agreement on a small flat near the station.

sign a (rental) agreement

The two governments reached an agreement to stop fishing in the disputed area.

reach an agreement to + verb

Common collocations
  • sign an agreement
  • reach an agreement
  • break an agreement
  • under the agreement
  • peace agreement
  • trade agreement
  • rental agreement
Synonyms
  • contract

    a written, legally binding agreement, usually for work or money

  • deal

    more informal; covers business or everyday arrangements

  • treaty

    a formal agreement between countries, signed by governments

  • pact

    often suggests a serious promise, especially between governments or groups

Grammar Patterns

an agreement between A and B

an agreement with somebody

sign / break an agreement

under the (terms of the) agreement

Usage Note

Always countable, so use 'an agreement', 'the agreement' or a plural. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense names the deal itself (a thing you can sign, break, or read), not the feeling of sharing an opinion. Common with 'sign', 'reach', 'break', 'under', and 'between'.

Common Mistakes

They signed agreement last week.
They signed an agreement last week.
countable, so use 'an' or 'the'.
The agreement was made by the two countries.' (when you mean what is in it)
Under the agreement, the two countries will share the river.
use 'under the agreement' to introduce its terms.

3. in grammar, the rule that linked words must match in features such as number (si

3.nounC1
Definition

in grammar, the rule that linked words must match in features such as number (singular or plural), grammatical gender, or person — for example, a singular subject taking a singular verb, or a French adjective changing its ending to fit a feminine noun.

Example

In English, subject-verb agreement means we say 'she sings', not 'she sing'.

subject-verb agreement

Ms. Park spent the lesson explaining agreement between nouns and adjectives in Spanish.

agreement between X and Y

Common collocations
  • subject-verb agreement
  • gender agreement
  • agreement between subject and verb
  • show agreement with
Synonyms
  • concord

    another grammar term with the same meaning; common in older textbooks

  • correspondence

    more general; not always used as a grammar term

Grammar Patterns

agreement between subject and verb

in agreement with

Usage Note

Used only when talking about grammar; uncountable. Distinguish from senses 1 and 2: this sense never refers to opinions or deals, only to how word forms match each other. Often appears in compounds like 'subject-verb agreement' or 'gender agreement'.

Common Mistakes

There are many agreements in French grammar.
There are many rules of agreement in French grammar.
in this technical sense, agreement is uncountable.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

All five words name an arrangement between two or more sides, but they differ in formality and setting. 'Agreement' is the broadest and most neutral — it can be spoken or written, between friends, companies, or governments. 'Contract' is narrower: a written, legally binding agreement, usually about work, money, or services; breaking one can lead to court. 'Deal' is the most informal and is common in business or everyday talk, as in 'we made a deal'. 'Treaty' is reserved for formal written agreements between countries, signed by their governments. 'Pact' suggests a serious, often personal promise — a non-aggression pact between states, or two children making a pact never to tell. So you might sign an employment contract, strike a deal with a supplier, sign a peace treaty with a neighbour, and make a quiet pact with a sibling — all of them are kinds of agreement.

agreement ↗contract ↗deal ↗treaty ↗pact

Common collocations

Nouns

  • peace agreement
  • trade agreement
  • rental agreement
  • subject-verb agreement
  • gentleman's agreement

Adverbs

Phrases

  • reach an agreement
  • come to an agreement
  • sign an agreement
  • break an agreement
  • be in agreement

Prepositions

  • in agreement with
  • in agreement on
  • agreement between
  • under an agreement

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

'Agreement' came into English in the late 1300s from Old French 'agrement', built from the verb 'agreer' meaning 'to please' or 'to be of one mind'. That French verb was itself formed from the phrase 'a gre', literally 'to (one's) liking', where 'gre' came from Latin 'gratum' (something pleasing). Over time the noun moved from the older sense of 'pleasing' to today's two main meanings: people sharing the same view, and a formal arrangement set down between two sides. The grammar-rule sense developed later, as scholars borrowed the everyday word to describe how matching word forms 'agree' with each other.