adjective
tacit
TASS-it/ˈtæsɪt/
Understood or implied without being directly stated.
Her quiet nod gives us tacit permission to continue.
Etymology
From “be silent,” tacit developed from describing something unspoken to something silently indicated or implied. A tacit understanding therefore communicates agreement without putting it into words.
In context
you put up with that sort of behaviour you're providing tacit consent for it and even tacit approval
More examples
- We have a tacit agreement not to discuss work at dinner.
- The manager treats their silence as tacit approval.
- There is a tacit understanding that whoever cooks avoids dish duty.
Forms
tacitly adverb — Without being directly expressed in words.
Similar words
- implicit
- Often suggests something contained in a statement without being explicit.
- unspoken
- Emphasizes that something remains unsaid, whether mutually understood or not.