consensual Hear it!

consensual Definition

con·sen·sual (kən sen′s̸ho̵̅o̅ əl)

adjective

  1. involving consent, esp. mutual consent
  2. Rom. Law of contracts, existing by the mere consent of the parties
  3. Physiol. of or caused by reflex action that occurs either with voluntary action or because of stimulation to a corresponding part, as the reaction of both eye pupils when only one is stimulated

Etymology: < consensus + -al

consensual Related Forms

con·sen′·su·ally adverb

consensual Usage Examples

Modifies a noun

  • hallucination: To use William Gibson's famous phrase, a MUD is a paradigmatic instance of the " consensual hallucination " of cyberspace.
  • sex: He claims she directed him to a remote moorland lay-by on Bacup Road for consensual sex.
  • politics: Instead of consensual politics we have a reversion to old-fashioned power politics at home and abroad.
  • belief: This was designed to identify consensual beliefs about stress.
  • variation: The scope for consensual variations of contract in the context of a relevant transfer therefore remained uncertain after Wilson.
  • act: Prosecution for consensual same sex acts may of itself amount to persecution.

Modifying Another Word

  • not: Europe hasn't quite got used to the idea we're not consensual.
  • mutually: Mutually consensual sexual activity between young people is a normal part of adolescent development and should be clearly distinguished from sexual abuse.
  • essentially: Parsons proposes an essentially consensual theory of power, in accord with the assumptions of his overall scheme.
  • apparently: Apparently consensual goals may be imposed by the ideology of the powerful.
  • truly: Complaints of sexual harassment may be made if a relationship breaks down or if the student decides it is not truly consensual.
  • too: However, the education debate is in danger of being too consensual.