Agreement vs. Concurrence — What's the Difference?
By Urooj Arif & Maham Liaqat — Updated on May 12, 2024
Agreement involves mutual consent or accord on ideas or conditions, often formalized; concurrence implies simultaneous occurrence or alignment in opinion without formal agreement.
Difference Between Agreement and Concurrence
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Agreement is typically a formal or explicit arrangement between parties that outlines specific terms or conditions they have mutually accepted. Whereas, concurrence refers to a situation where parties or elements align in opinion or fact, but without the formalities of an agreement.
Agreement often requires a deliberate process of negotiation and consent, reflecting a commitment to adhere to the outlined terms. On the other hand, concurrence can occur naturally or incidentally when opinions or actions align coincidentally rather than through deliberate negotiation.
In legal contexts, an agreement usually implies a binding contract with enforceable obligations. Conversely, concurrence in legal settings might refer to judges or officials agreeing with a decision or opinion without being the primary authors or signatories.
Agreement is typically documented and requires clear acceptance by all involved parties, often used in contexts like contracts, treaties, or formal partnerships. In contrast, concurrence might not be formally recorded and can be as simple as nodding in approval during a meeting or similar casual endorsements.
While agreement is essential for situations that demand defined interactions or exchanges, concurrence is sufficient in scenarios where formal agreement is unnecessary but a common stance is beneficial, such as agreeing on a meeting time informally.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Mutual arrangement with formal consent
Alignment or coincidence in opinion
Formality
Often formal and documented
Can be informal and undocumented
Legal Implications
Binding with enforceable terms
Generally non-binding
Process
Requires negotiation and clear acceptance
Can occur naturally or through casual assent
Typical Use
Contracts, treaties, formal partnerships
Meetings, informal decisions, judicial opinions
Compare with Definitions
Agreement
Results from negotiation.
After hours of negotiation, the agreement was finally drafted.
Concurrence
General agreement without formal terms.
There was concurrence among team members on the project's direction.
Agreement
Necessary for formal partnerships.
The partnership agreement outlined each party's responsibilities.
Concurrence
Often seen in judicial settings.
The judge wrote a concurring opinion with the majority.
Agreement
Harmony or accordance in opinion or feeling
The governments failed to reach agreement
The two officers nodded in agreement
Concurrence
Does not require documentation.
Their concurrence was verbal and informal.
Agreement
The act of agreeing
When did the agreement take place?.
Concurrence
In Western jurisprudence, concurrence (also contemporaneity or simultaneity) is the apparent need to prove the simultaneous occurrence of both actus reus ("guilty action") and mens rea ("guilty mind"), to constitute a crime; except in crimes of strict liability. In theory, if the actus reus does not hold concurrence in point of time with the mens rea then no crime has been committed.
Agreement
Harmony of opinion; accord
Since we are all in agreement, let's proceed.
Concurrence
Agreement in opinion.
Agreement
An arrangement between parties, usually resulting from a discussion, regarding a course of action.
Concurrence
Cooperation, as of agents, circumstances, or events.
Agreement
A properly executed and legally binding contract.
Concurrence
Simultaneous occurrence; coincidence.
Agreement
The writing or document embodying this contract.
Concurrence
Agreement; concurring.
Agreement
(Grammar) Correspondence in gender, number, case, or person between words.
Concurrence
An instance of simultaneous occurrence.
Agreement
(countable) An understanding between entities to follow a specific course of conduct.
To enter an agreement;
The UK and US negotiators nearing agreement;
He nodded his agreement.
Concurrence
The act of concurring; a meeting or coming together; union; conjunction; combination.
We have no other measure but our own ideas, with the concurence of other probable reasons, to persuade us.
Agreement
(uncountable) A state whereby several parties share a view or opinion; the state of not contradicting one another.
The results of my experiment are in agreement with those of Michelson and with the law of General Relativity.
Concurrence
A meeting of minds; agreement in opinion; union in design or act; - implying joint approbation.
Tarquin the Proud was expelled by the universal concurrence of nobles and people.
Agreement
A legally binding contract enforceable in a court of law.
Concurrence
Agreement or consent, implying aid or contribution of power or influence; coöperation.
We collect the greatness of the work, and the necessity of the divine concurrence to it.
An instinct that works us to its own purposes without our concurrence.
Agreement
Rules that exist in many languages that force some parts of a sentence to be used or inflected differently depending on certain attributes of other parts.
Concurrence
A common right; coincidence of equal powers; as, a concurrence of jurisdiction in two different courts.
Agreement
An agreeable quality.
Concurrence
Agreement of results or opinions
Agreement
State of agreeing; harmony of opinion, statement, action, or character; concurrence; concord; conformity; as, a good agreement subsists among the members of the council.
What agreement hath the temple of God with idols ?
Expansion and duration have this further agreement.
Concurrence
Acting together as of agents or circumstances or events
Agreement
Concord or correspondence of one word with another in gender, number, case, or person.
Concurrence
A state of cooperation
Agreement
A concurrence in an engagement that something shall be done or omitted; an exchange of promises; mutual understanding, arrangement, or stipulation; a contract.
Concurrence
The temporal property of two things happening at the same time;
The interval determining the coincidence gate is adjustable
Agreement
The statement (oral or written) of an exchange of promises;
They had an agreement that they would not interfere in each other's business
There was an understanding between management and the workers
Concurrence
Can happen naturally.
Their views concurred without prior discussion.
Agreement
Compatibility of observations;
There was no agreement between theory and measurement
The results of two tests were in correspondence
Concurrence
Useful in informal settings.
Concurrence on the meeting time was achieved quickly.
Agreement
Harmony of people's opinions or actions or characters;
The two parties were in agreement
Agreement
The thing arranged or agreed to;
They made arrangements to meet in Chicago
Agreement
The determination of grammatical inflection on the basis of word relations
Agreement
The verbal act of agreeing
Agreement
A mutual understanding between parties on terms.
They reached an agreement to share profits equally.
Agreement
Often requires formal documentation.
The business agreement was documented and signed by both parties.
Agreement
Legally binding in nature.
The agreement includes clauses that are enforceable by law.
Common Curiosities
How is concurrence demonstrated?
Concurrence can be demonstrated through verbal assent, nodding, or other informal gestures indicating agreement.
Is an agreement always legally binding?
While many agreements are legally binding, the binding nature depends on the intent and content of the agreement and compliance with legal standards.
What makes an agreement enforceable?
An agreement becomes enforceable when it meets legal criteria such as the presence of an offer, acceptance, consideration, and mutual intent to be bound.
Can concurrence lead to misunderstandings?
Yes, because concurrence is often informal and undocumented, it can lead to misunderstandings if the terms or extent of agreement are not clearly defined.
What are examples of formal agreements?
Examples include employment contracts, lease agreements, and legal settlements.
What is the key difference between agreement and concurrence?
Agreement is a formal, often documented arrangement, while concurrence refers to alignment of opinion or actions that may not require formalization.
Do all agreements need to be written?
Not all agreements need to be written, but major agreements especially in business, are often documented to ensure clarity and enforceability.
Can concurrence be part of a legal document?
Yes, concurrence can appear in legal contexts, especially in judicial opinions where it signifies agreement with the majority without leading the opinion.
Is verbal agreement considered a legal agreement?
A verbal agreement can be legally binding if it includes all elements of a contract, though proving its terms without written evidence can be challenging.
What is the significance of concurrence in decision-making?
Concurrence can streamline decision-making processes by indicating quick and informal agreement among parties.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
