rubber-stamp

1 of 2

verb

rub·​ber-stamp ˈrə-bər-ˈstamp 

rubber-stamped; rubber-stamping; rubber-stamps

transitive verb

1

: to approve, endorse, or dispose of as a matter of routine or at the command of another

2

: to mark with a rubber stamp

rubber stamp

2 of 2

noun

1

: a stamp of rubber for making imprints

2

a

: a person who echoes or imitates others

b

: a mostly powerless yet officially recognized body or person that approves or endorses programs and policies initiated usually by a single specified source

the parliament was a rubber stamp for the dictator

3

a

: a stereotyped copy or expression

the usual rubber stamps of criticism

—H. L. Mencken

b

: a routine endorsement or approval

Synonyms

Noun

• aper
• copycat
• copyist
• echo
• follower
• imitator
• wannabe
• wannabee

Examples of rubber-stamp in a Sentence

Noun

The legislature has been nothing more than a rubber stamp for the President.

an author who was ultimately just another rubber stamp of Hemingway

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Though China does not currently offer child subsidies at the national level, encouraging births was a focus of the rubber-stamp Congress's annual Two Sessions meetings earlier this month. —David Faris, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025

The thousands of delegates who gathered in Beijing for the week-long meetings of China’s rubber-stamp legislature voted almost unanimously Tuesday to approve the government work report and the budget. —Simone McCarthy, CNN, 11 Mar. 2025

Noun

Trump White House: San Diego County must not be a rubber stamp for any presidential administration — whether Democrat or Republican. —Louis A Fuentes, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025

Those prints are made by using the body casts essentially as rubber stamps. —Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 3 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1893, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1873, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for rubber-stamp

• firedamp
• amp
• champ
• clamp
• cramp
• damp
• gamp
• lamp
• ramp
• samp
• scamp
• stamp

Kids Definition

rubber-stamp

1 of 2 verb

: to approve, endorse, or dispose of as a matter of routine or at the command of another

rubber stamp

2 of 2 noun

: a stamp with a printing face made of rubber