tacit
gb/tˈæsɪt/ us/tˈæsɪt/
C1
English
hallgatólagos, kimondatlan
C1
FORMAL
1
kimondatlan
B2
Usage pattern:
tacit [agreement/approval/consent/understanding/assumption]
By continuing to use the service, you give tacit consent to the updated terms.
A szolgáltatás további használatával hallgatólagosan beleegyezik a módosított feltételekbe.
There was a tacit understanding that no one would mention the mistake in front of the client.
Volt egy hallgatólagos megállapodás arról, hogy senki sem említi meg a hibát az ügyfél előtt.
His silence was taken as tacit approval of the plan.
Learner examples
We had a tacit agreement to share the work.
Hallgatólagos megállapodásunk volt arról, hogy megosztjuk a munkát.
She gave tacit approval by saying nothing.
Azzal, hogy nem mondott semmit, hallgatólagos jóváhagyását adta.
Common mistake:
Often confused with tact (politeness) or tactic (a plan); tacit means “unspoken/implicit,” not “polite.”
Meaning
understood without being said
Collocations
tacit agreement
|tacit approval
|tacit consent
|tacit understanding
|tacit acceptance
|tacit assumption
|tacit permission
|tacit support
|tacit acknowledgement
|tacit knowledge
Synonyms
implicit (Often used for meanings that are suggested rather than directly stated.)
|
unspoken (Emphasizes that nothing is said aloud.)
|
implied (Highlights that the meaning is contained indirectly.)
Antonyms
explicit (Clearly stated in words.)
|
spoken (Said aloud rather than left unsaid.)
Themes
communication
|relationships
|business
|law
Definition
If something is tacit, people understand it but do not say it.
Understood, accepted, or implied without being stated openly or directly.
Grammar
Dictionary form
tacit
IPA
GB/tˈæsɪt/
US/tˈæsɪt/
Syllables & stress
ta - cit (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (ta)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: tacit
Expressions
tacit agreement
1/tˈæsɪt əɡɹˈimənt/
fixed phrase
formal
unspoken agreement
An agreement people understand without saying it.
Examples
- They had a tacit agreement to avoid discussing politics at family dinners.
- The two teams reached a tacit agreement not to poach each other’s staff.
Learner examples
- We made a tacit agreement to meet at 6.
tacit approval
1/tˈæsɪt əpɹˈuvəl/
fixed phrase
formal
unspoken approval
Approval shown by silence or lack of opposition.
Examples
- The changes went ahead with the manager’s tacit approval.
- Her tacit approval made it hard for anyone else to object.
Learner examples
- His silence felt like tacit approval.
tacit consent
1/tˈæsɪt kənsˈɛnt/
fixed phrase
formal
unspoken permission
Permission that is assumed because someone does not say no.
Examples
- They treated his failure to respond as tacit consent.
- The policy warns that continued use may be seen as tacit consent to data collection.
Learner examples
- They took my silence as tacit consent.
tacit knowledge
1/tˈæsɪt nˈɑlɪd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
technical
knowledge hard to explain
Skills you learn by doing, not by reading.
Examples
- Much of good teaching relies on tacit knowledge developed over years in the classroom.
- The company struggled to transfer employees’ tacit knowledge into written procedures.
Learner examples
- Cooking well takes tacit knowledge.
tacit understanding
1/tˈæsɪt ˌʌndɚstˈændɪŋ/
fixed phrase
formal
shared unspoken understanding
A shared idea that no one says directly.
Examples
- There was a tacit understanding that overtime would be compensated later.
- They worked smoothly because of a tacit understanding about who would lead.
Learner examples
- We had a tacit understanding about the rules.