as in permission
the approval by someone in authority for the doing of something
you cannot make a student video without your faculty advisor's sanction of its subject matter prior to shooting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to approve
to give official acceptance of as satisfactory
the administration will sanction almost any field trip with educational value
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example 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 sanction
Ingrid A. Nelson, The Conversation, 29 May 2026
The State Department and the Treasury Department both announced new sanctions on Iran’s oil trade yesterday despite ongoing negotiations to reach a deal to end the conflict.
—Jay Ganglani, NBC news, 29 May 2026
Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 25 May 2026
Interestingly, the company expects to sanction multiple projects in 2026, which could contribute an additional $400 million in EBITDA.
—Tipranks.com Staff, CNBC, 24 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sanction
Noun
The idea that one wrong word or departure from campus orthodoxy could yield outsize punishments and social sanctions.
—Ingrid A. Nelson, The Conversation, 29 May 2026
The State Department and the Treasury Department both announced new sanctions on Iran’s oil trade yesterday despite ongoing negotiations to reach a deal to end the conflict.
—Jay Ganglani, NBC news, 29 May 2026
Verb
The videos sparked public outcry, with several European countries calling for the European Union to sanction Ben-Gvir, and some, including France, taking their own steps to ban him from entry.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 25 May 2026
Interestingly, the company expects to sanction multiple projects in 2026, which could contribute an additional $400 million in EBITDA.
—Tipranks.com Staff, CNBC, 24 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sanction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sanction
Noun
-
Since then, the IRGC has charged tolls on ships granted permission and attacked any that tried to cross unauthorized.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
1 June 2026
-
But North Carolina is a Dillon Rule state, meaning Charlotte can only pass policies if the state has given it explicit permission to do so.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
That lineup changed in 2023, when the International Olympic Committee approved a proposal to replace the equestrian show jumping section with an obstacle-course component for the 2028 Summer Games.—
Matt Moret,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
-
While the council remained inside to finish the meeting, including approving a local emergency declaration, police were outside where a small mob gathered, yelling obscenities at the officers.—
Victoria Le,
Oc Register,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
Fireworks set off without authorization in Rome reportedly triggered a mass stampede of frightened horses during a late-night rehearsal for Italy’s annual Republic Day parade, injuring multiple riders and animals.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
-
Citigroup Top pick Citigroup is up 67% over the past 12 months with more room to run, Bank of America said after CEO Jane Fraser's investor day earlier this month, which included news of a $30 billion buyback authorization.—
Michael Bloom,
CNBC,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
The 19th Amendment to give women the right to vote was not ratified until 1920.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
2 June 2026
-
And although the Bill of Rights came soon after, ever since the First Amendment was ratified, Americans have had to continually, sometimes aggressively, insist on their right to free expression in the face of political pressure.—
Adrienne LaFrance,
The Atlantic,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Using Airbnb homes as robot testing grounds without the hosts’ knowledge or consent would be a risky business move, especially because any damage caused by the robots would be suboptimal advertising for robots intended for household use.—
Andrew Cunningham,
ArsTechnica,
1 June 2026
-
In practice, that often means simplifying vendor relationships, reducing dependence on cross-environment identifiers, pressure-testing consent flows and building strategies that continue performing when identity signals become more limited.—
Tony Gonzalez,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
But, as is often the case with these kinds of monkey’s paws, the granting of a wish comes at a great cost—the wishmaker’s life.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
24 Apr. 2026
-
In this age of excess and endless wish granting, self denial becomes a superpower and a necessity.—
Maggie Anders,
Oc Register,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sanction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sanction. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
