approve

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb approve differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of approve are accredit, certify, endorse, and sanction. While all these words mean "to have or express a favorable opinion of," approve often implies no more than this but may suggest considerable esteem or admiration.

the parents approve of the marriage

How are the words accredit and certify related as synonyms of approve?

Both accredit and certify usually imply official endorsement attesting to conformity to set standards.

the board voted to accredit the college
must be certified to teach

When might endorse be a better fit than approve?

Although the words endorse and approve have much in common, endorse suggests an explicit statement of support.

publicly endorsed her for Senator

When can sanction be used instead of approve?

In some situations, the words sanction and approve are roughly equivalent. However, sanction implies both approval and authorization.

the President sanctioned covert operations

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of approve Legal challenges loomed beyond Fubo, most immediately pushback from the nation’s two big satellite TV providers, Dish and DirecTV, who insisted that antitrust issues remained and asked the New York judge not to approve the settlement. Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 11 Jan. 2025 Presently, there are 38 municipalities in the state of Indiana that have approved a 1% tax, Olthoff said. Deborah Laverty, Chicago Tribune, 11 Jan. 2025 Tied to the proposal are tax breaks and incentives the City Council previously approved back in 2018 for Cordish’s Light towers, including the city kicking in $17 million for a parking garage. Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 11 Jan. 2025 The agreements were approved by a senior Pentagon official who oversees the military court at Guantanamo Bay. Eleanor Watson, CBS News, 31 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for approve 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for approve
Verb
  • The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty was ratified in the Senate, 93 votes to 5.
    Niall Ferguson, Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2025
  • With 32 million copies sold worldwide by the end of 1983, Thriller became the best-selling album of all time, and was ratified by Guinness World Records on Feb. 7, 1984.
    Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 4 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The White later confirmed the event would be rescheduled for next week at the White House to accommodate additional attendees.
    Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
  • Anthropic’s potential $60 billion valuation Anthropic, the artificial intelligence startup founded by former OpenAI research executives, is in late-stage talks to raise as much as $2 billion at a $60 billion valuation, CNBC has confirmed.
    Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The Traitors contestant finalized his divorce from ex-wife Britney Spears in May 2024 following a year-long separation that began in July 2023.
    Emily Blackwood, People.com, 10 Jan. 2025
  • Those pay hikes — four years of raises and an array of other financial incentives — were not finalized until several months after her budget went into effect.
    David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • While Trump has endorsed the one-bill strategy for his reconciliation package, members of the Freedom Caucus have pushed for a two-bill track chock-full of spending cuts and deficit-reducing measures.
    Cami Mondeaux, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 11 Jan. 2025
  • Yes, online therapy appears to be pretty darn effective and has been endorsed by the American Psychological Association.
    Molly Peck, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Research suggests that validation helps people feel understood and accepted, and can even defuse intense emotions.
    Angela Haupt, TIME, 13 Jan. 2025
  • For example, an iPhone user may be asked to reply yes (Y) or no (N) to accept a delivery.
    Kate O'Flaherty, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • During the Mackinac Island trip, Mr. Nash’s team urged Ms. Bondi to avoid the matter and nudge other Republican attorneys general to do the same, according to two people who attended the event, who were not authorized to speak publicly because the conversations were supposed to be confidential.
    Eric Lipton, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2025
  • The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to reveal details about the team’s coaching search.
    Tashan Reed, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near approve

Cite this Entry

“Approve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/approve. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on approve

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