consent of the governed

noun

A political theory in which a government or set of governments could only be deemed legitimate if it is supported by the people under which it exercises its political influence.

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Meanings

nounconsent of the governed (uncountable)
  1. uncountablegovernmentA political theory in which a government or set of governments could only be deemed legitimate if it is supported by the people under which it exercises its political influence.
Cite this entry
APA

consent of the governed. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/consent%20of%20the%20governed

MLA

“consent of the governed.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/consent%20of%20the%20governed. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “consent of the governed,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/consent%20of%20the%20governed.

Source: consent of the governed on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.