Both consent and acquiesce refer to agreeing to or permitting something requested, demanded, or required. A person who consents freely gives a verbal or written agreement necessary to permit something (consented to be hypnotized). To consent to something is often a formal act or legal requirement. Acquiesce suggests a passive, unspoken, sometimes coerced agreement to do or permit something. Someone who acquiesces complies, goes along with, or gives in to what someone else wants: The prime minister acquiesced to the taxpayers’ demands). Some adverbs frequently found accompanying acquiesce are finally, meekly, and grudgingly.

Both words refer to possessing or exercising power or will over something or someone. Control suggests the ability or power to determine what someone or something does: a thermostat controls the temperature; the majority political party controls the House; the gods control my destiny. Dominate suggests the possession or exercise of power, rule, or mastery over others. A wrestler who dominates her opponent repeatedly overpowers her and wins. Someone who dominates the conversation may talk over everyone or keep their topic or views foremost. In a male-dominated society, men have more power than women. A country may have the goal of extending its power and dominating a region outside its borders.

A luxurious choice today between ease and leisure—both are pleasant states of being free from physical or mental burdens and demands. Ease suggests physical comfort and relaxation, as well as freedom from labor or other exertion (took his ease on the couch after dinner; the calamine lotion brought me ease). We enjoy periods of ease whenever we can; leisure, on the other hand, is often something granted to employees by their employers—the word comes from a Latin verb meaning “to allow.” Leisure suggests freedom from work or other duty, allowing rest or recreation (has a lot of leisure  time; traveling for business, not leisure). It’s no wonder many people dream of a life of leisure, but leisure has financial benefits, too: it’s often written about as an industry and linked with hospitality, sports, tourism, and entertainment.