SANCTION Synonyms: 101 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

sanction 1 of 2

noun

ˈsaŋ(k)-shən

Definition of sanction next

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

sanction

2 of 2

verb

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

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

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 sanction

Noun

Responding to North Korea’s latest nuclear and missile activity, the U.N. Security Council added new sanctions, including trade restrictions, such as on the importing of fuel, as well as limiting where its citizens could work elsewhere in the world. —

The Arizona Republic, 23 Dec. 2024 But perhaps more importantly, the state had been hollowed out by years of US sanctions, endemic regime corruption and economic collapse. —

The Week Uk, theweek, 22 Dec. 2024

Verb

Herman has publicly admitted to bringing untrue and false allegations against four high-profile people in the entertainment industry, for which he was sanctioned. —

Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Dec. 2024 All are welcome to join the school's eSports team — with eSports sanctioned by the Kentucky High School Athletic Association since 2018. —

Krista Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 6 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for sanction

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sanction

Noun

Rogers ended up sharing the letter, which was written in two parts, with a friend who, with his permission, shared it to Reddit under the handle u/ITookYourGP.

Andy Biggs, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024
Set boundaries early on, like giving yourself permission to skip the chaos for a cup of hot cocoa.

Valerie Mesa, People.com, 24 Dec. 2024