What is the definition of acceptance in contract law?

The definition of acceptance in contract law is an unqualified agreement to all terms of the offer. This means that for a valid acceptance to occur, the offeree must accept the offer in its entirety without any modifications or conditions. The essence of acceptance is that it signifies the offeree's unequivocal consent to the terms laid out by the offeror. This concept ensures that both parties have a clear understanding of their obligations and rights under the contract.

In practice, if the acceptance were to include conditions or modifications, it would not constitute a valid acceptance but rather a counter-offer, which changes the terms of the original offer and resets the negotiation process. Silence or inaction does not constitute acceptance in most cases, as acceptance requires an active agreement. Additionally, while actions can sometimes infer acceptance, it must still reflect a clear agreement to the terms as they were initially proposed without any additional stipulations or departures from those terms.