What does "approve" mean?
To officially sanction; to ratify; to confirm; to set as satisfactory.
Approve
/əˈpɹuːv/ verb
verb ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To officially sanction; to ratify; to confirm; to set as satisfactory.
- Grammar: approve is listed as verb.
- Nearest alternatives: sanction, accede, accede to, acceded.
- Useful contrasts: ceremonial decline, deprecated, disallowed.
- Usage evidence: I entirely approve of what you say.
How to use "approve"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "approve" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "approve" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "approve" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "approve" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "approve" is acting as verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "sanction" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "approve", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To officially sanction; to ratify; to confirm; to set as satisfactory. transitive
"Although we may disagree with it, we must nevertheless approve the sentence handed down by the court-martial."
- 2 To make profit of; to convert to one's own profit — said especially of waste or common land appropriated by the lord of the manor. English, transitive
- 3 judge to be right or commendable; think well of wordnet
- 4 To regard as good; to commend; to be pleased with; to think well of. transitive
"We approve the measure of the administration, for it is an excellent decision."
- 5 give sanction to wordnet
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 To make proof of; to demonstrate; to prove or show practically. archaic, transitive
"He had long burned with impatience to approve his valour."
- 7 To consider worthy (to); to be pleased (with); to accept. intransitive
"Her mother never approves of any of her boyfriends. She thinks nobody is good enough for her little girl."
- 8 To show to be worthy; to demonstrate the merits of. archaic, transitive, usually
"The first care and concern must be to approve himself to God."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"I entirely approve of what you say."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "approve"?
Common synonyms include: sanction, accede, accede to, acceded, accept, accept original value.
How do you use "approve" in a sentence?
I entirely approve of what you say.
How do you pronounce "approve"?
Pronounced /əˈpɹuːv/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English aproven, appreoven, appreven, apreven, borrowed from Old French aprover, approver, approuvir, appreuver (“to approve”), from Latin approbō, from ad + probō (“to esteem as good, approve, prove”). Doublet of approbate. By surface analysis, ad- + prove.
Etymology 2
From Middle English approuen, approven, from Old French aprouer; a- + a form apparently derived from the pro, prod, in Latin prōsum (“be useful or profitable”). Compare with improve.