In everyday English, we often need to share opinions, express agreement, or show disagreement—in conversations, meetings, classrooms, discussions, and exams like IELTS Speaking.
Native speakers rarely say just agree or disagree. Instead, they use natural word combinations called collocations, such as strongly agree, completely disagree, or agree with someone.
Learning collocations with “agree” and “disagree” helps you sound polite, confident, and natural when expressing opinions.
These collocations are widely used in daily conversations, debates, academic writing, and professional communication.
In this lesson, you will learn useful collocations with meanings and simple example sentences.
This topic is part of our English Collocations for English learners.
Collocations with “Agree”
Agree with someone
-
- This is one of the most common ways to say that you have the same opinion as another person.
- Example: I agree with you on this point.
- Example: She agrees with her colleague about the new project plan.
Agree on something
-
- Use this collocation when talking about a specific topic or decision that you and others are in agreement about.
- Example: We agreed on the time for the meeting.
- Example: The team has agreed on the new design for the website.
Agree to something
-
- This is used when you accept or approve of a suggestion, offer, or idea.
- Example: He agreed to help me with the presentation.
- Example: They agreed to go on the trip next month.
Agree wholeheartedly
-
- This means to completely agree without any doubt or hesitation.
- Example: I agree wholeheartedly with your plan for the project.
- Example: She agreed wholeheartedly with the proposal to extend the deadline.
Agree to disagree
-
- This phrase is used when two people can’t find common ground, but they decide to accept their differences and stop arguing.
- Example: We had a heated discussion, but eventually, we agreed to disagree.
- Example: Let’s agree to disagree and move on with the conversation.
Agree with someone 100%
-
- This is a stronger way of saying that you completely agree with someone’s opinion or idea.
- Example: I agree with you 100%—that’s exactly how I feel too.
- Example: The manager agreed with the team 100% on the new strategy.
Agree in principle
-
- This means to agree with an idea or suggestion, but not necessarily with all the details.
- Example: I agree in principle with the idea of reducing costs, but we need more details on how it will work.
- Example: The committee agreed in principle to the proposed changes but needs further discussion.
Agree about something
-
- Similar to “agree on,” this collocation is used when discussing a mutual agreement on a topic.
- Example: We agreed about the importance of customer feedback for improving our services.
- Example: The two departments agreed about the need for better communication.
Collocations with “Disagree”
Disagree with someone
-
- This is the most common way to say that you have a different opinion from someone.
- Example: I disagree with your point of view on this issue.
- Example: He disagreed with his boss about the new company policies.
Disagree on something
-
- This collocation is used when two or more people do not agree on a specific issue, idea, or decision.
- Example: We disagree on the best approach to solve the problem.
- Example: The two sides disagree on the terms of the contract.
Disagree completely
-
- This means to have a total difference of opinion on something.
- Example: I completely disagree with what you said about the project.
- Example: She completely disagreed with the proposal to raise prices.
Disagree strongly
-
- This collocation expresses a strong opposition or difference of opinion.
- Example: I strongly disagree with the idea of cutting down trees in the park.
- Example: The two experts disagreed strongly on the results of the research.
Disagree entirely
-
- Similar to “disagree completely,” this emphasizes total disagreement.
- Example: I disagree entirely with the way the situation was handled.
- Example: He disagreed entirely with the conclusions of the report.
Disagree with someone on something
-
- This is used when you have a different opinion from someone on a specific topic.
- Example: I disagree with you on the approach to managing the project.
- Example: She disagreed with him on the new policy about flexible working hours.
Disagree politely
-
- This is when you express your disagreement in a respectful or courteous way.
- Example: I disagree politely, but I think we need to consider other options.
- Example: You can disagree politely with someone without offending them.
Disagree in principle
-
- Just like “agree in principle,” this is used when you oppose an idea overall but may accept some parts of it.
- Example: I disagree in principle with the decision to cut the budget, but I understand the reasons behind it.
- Example: He disagreed in principle with the proposal, though he agreed on some aspects of it.
Disagree vehemently
-
- This means to strongly and forcefully disagree with something.
- Example: She vehemently disagreed with the suggestion to increase work hours.
- Example: He disagreed vehemently with the politician’s remarks about the economy.
Disagree openly
-
- This means to disagree without hiding your opinion, often in a direct way.
- Example: They disagreed openly during the meeting about the new rules.
- Example: I don’t mind if we disagree openly on this matter, as long as we find a solution.
How to Use Collocations with “Agree” and “Disagree” in Conversations
Now that we know some common collocations with “agree” and “disagree,” let’s look at some examples of how to use them naturally in everyday conversations.
Agreeing in conversations
- Person 1: “I think we should start the meeting earlier to get more done.”
- Person 2: “I totally agree with you on that. Starting earlier would make us more productive.”
Here, “agree with you on that” is used to show a strong agreement with the idea of starting earlier.
Disagreeing in conversations
- Person 1: “I believe the company should stop offering free lunch to employees.”
- Person 2: “I disagree strongly. I think it’s one of the best perks we have.”
In this example, “disagree strongly” is used to show a firm opposition to the idea of stopping the free lunch.
Agreeing in principle but needing more details
- Person 1: “We could try offering discounts to attract more customers.”
- Person 2: “I agree in principle, but we should first analyze if it’s sustainable for the business.”
Here, “agree in principle” is used to show support for the idea but with some conditions.
Disagreeing politely
- Person 1: “I think we should hire a new team for the project.”
- Person 2: “I disagree politely, but I think we can make do with our current team if we provide more training.”
“Disagree politely” is used here to express disagreement without sounding rude.
Why Using Collocations is Important
Using collocations with “agree” and “disagree” helps you sound more natural and fluent in English.
It allows you to express your thoughts in a more nuanced way, instead of just sticking to simple phrases like “I agree” or “I disagree.”
By learning and practicing these collocations, you can make your conversations flow more easily and sound more confident.
Conclusion
Whether you’re agreeing or disagreeing, using the right collocations makes your speech sound more polished and natural.
Remember, English is not just about knowing individual words but also about understanding how they work together.
By practicing these collocations, you will be able to express your opinions in a clearer, more effective way, making your conversations more interesting and engaging.
