What does "sanction" mean?

An approval, by an authority, generally one that makes something valid.

What is a synonym for "sanction"?

Common synonyms include: approve, allow, authority, authorize, abet, abet.

//ˈsæŋkʃən// noun, verb

noun, verb ·Common ·High school level

Noun

1
An approval, by an authority, generally one that makes something valid. countable, uncountable
"The whalers had been operating in the contested waters off the island with sanction from the Japanese government."
2
a mechanism of social control for enforcing a society's standards wordnet
3
A penalty, punishment, or some coercive measure, intended to ensure compliance; especially one adopted by several nations, or by an international body. countable, in-plural, uncountable
"The United States enacted a new round of sanctions against the apartheid regime of South Africa."
4
the act of final authorization wordnet
5
A law, treaty, or contract, or a clause within a law, treaty, or contract, specifying any of the above. countable, uncountable

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Verb

1
To ratify; to make valid. transitive
2
give sanction to wordnet
3
To give official authorization or approval to; to countenance. transitive
"The school's inaction further sanctions this misbehavior."
4
give religious sanction to, such as through an oath wordnet
5
To penalize (a state etc.) with sanctions. transitive
"The generative AI chatbot, ChatGPT, can be duped into providing detailed advice on how to commit crimes — ranging from money laundering to the export of weapons to sanctioned countries — a tech startup found."