sanction 1 of 2

sanction

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb sanction differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of sanction are accredit, approve, certify, and endorse. While all these words mean "to have or express a favorable opinion of," sanction implies both approval and authorization.

the President sanctioned covert operations

How do accredit and certify relate to one another, in the sense of sanction?

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

In what contexts can approve take the place of sanction?

While the synonyms approve and sanction are close in meaning, approve often implies no more than this but may suggest considerable esteem or admiration.

the parents approve of the marriage

When would endorse be a good substitute for sanction?

The synonyms endorse and sanction are sometimes interchangeable, but endorse suggests an explicit statement of support.

publicly endorsed her for Senator

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
Noun
But Luxembourg—which has a deal to develop Kigali as a financial center—has unilaterally blocked tough sanctions by the European Union itself, highlighting how easily the narrow interests of individual European states can undermine action. Michela Wrong, Foreign Affairs, 3 Mar. 2025 But since the invasion — and the battery of economic sanctions imposed by the West on Russia — the country has become an even trickier place for companies. Anna Cooban, CNN, 1 Mar. 2025
Verb
Heavily sanctioned Russia, whose economy has been put on a war footing for the last couple of years, will also be relishing the possibility that sanctions could be lifted as part of a peace deal. Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2025 An order sanctioning South Africa over treatment of Afrikaners. Joseph Lawler, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 10 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sanction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sanction
Noun
  • Alas for true love and territorial aspirations, on his way back to St. Petersburg for further orders and permission to marry, Rezanov got sick, again and again, and finally died after falling from his horse.
    Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2025
  • SpaceX now has permission to launch its Starship megarocket for the eighth time.
    Mike Wall, Space.com, 28 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Caps on vaccines and insulin costs for Medicare recipients were instituted under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, a federal law approved by Congress.
    Nate Trela, USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2025
  • The American Parkway Plan Commissioner Chris Shultz admitted that changes at Sailor Bar were required to adhere to the broader American River Parkway Plan, which was approved by supervisors in 2008.
    Emma Hall, Sacramento Bee, 1 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The ruling is another setback for one of President Donald Trump’s top priorities to strengthen immigration enforcement and conduct mass deportations of migrants who are in the country without legal authorization.
    Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 24 Feb. 2025
  • And support for Ukraine from the U.S. and Europe accelerated, including an authorization to use long-range American weapons to strike militarily strategic targets within Russia.
    Kevin Shalvey, ABC News, 24 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The provision was ratified in the late nineteen-eighties, but conservatives allied with the country’s agricultural lobby have long impeded its enforcement.
    Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
  • The 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was ratified in 1951 following the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was elected to four terms between 1933 and 1945.
    Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 21 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • In 2021, the company rolled out its App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature — a feature that forced apps to seek explicit user consent before tracking their activity across other apps and websites.
    Anisha Sircar, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025
  • The second is teaching children about consent and what healthy relationships look like.
    A.S. King, TIME, 21 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sanction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sanction. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.

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