I approve of your plan.
Source: tatoeba (17259)
Approve
/əˈpɹuːv/
Synonyms for "approve" (336 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (68)
Verb(25 words)
sanctionaccededacceptedaccreditsacquiesceadjudicatesadmireadopt policyadopting resolutionaffirmsagree withagreedagreesallowedapplaudedapplaudsapprobateassentedassentingauthorize
Show 5 more words
accedeaccede toacceptaccordaccord toaccreditadmireadoptaffiliateaffirmagreeagree toallowamenapplaudapprove ofargueassentassent toattest
Show 12 more words
authenticateauthorizationauthorizeautographback upbe partial tobe willingbearbespeakbetokenblessbreathe
Noun(9 words)
accept original valueaccepted ruleact prep programadjective of processaffirm a creedallowingauthorizingautomobile gradeblessing
Adjective(2 words)
accreditedallowed room
Strong matches (100)
carrycertifycharterclearcommendcomplimentcondescendcondoneconfirmconnive atconnoteconsentconsent to silentlycosigncountenancecountersigndeigndemonstratedenotedisplay
Show 32 more words
embraceenableendorseendureespouseesteemevidenceevinceexhibitexpressfancyfavorfurnish evidencegive consentgive indication ofgive permissiongive the go-aheadgive the imprimaturgive thumbs upgo along withgo forgo in forgo to showgranthailhave no objectionhave regard forhold withhonorillustrateimplyindicate
Adjective(5 words)
ceremonial covenantclear educational valueclear processesconfirmed findingfavorable regard
Verb(18 words)
Noun(25 words)
cheeringclear definitionclear online community guidelinescommissioncondoesconfirm resultsconfirm verbconfirmed conditionconsent required historyconsentscosigningcountenancescountenancingcountersigningdutch validerendutch valideren activityenactinges oficialexpress supportfeel good
Related words (168)
indorseinitialinvolvejustifykeep in countenanceletlicenselikemakemanifestmarknodnod assentnot refusenotarizeokokaypasspass onpass upon
Show 54 more words
permitpoint topraisepreferput up withratifyrecognizerecommendresolverespectrubber stamprubber-stampsanctionsay amen tosay ayesay yessealsecondset forthshowshow signs ofsignsign and sealsignalizesignifyspeak for itselfspeak volumesstand bysubscribesubscribe tosuggestsupportsustainswear and affirmswear tosymptomatizetake kindly totake uptelltend to showthink well oftolerateundersignunderwriteupholdvalidateview with favorvisavisevote affirmativelyvote ayewarrantwink atyield assent
Verb(40 words)
indorseindorsedindorsesindorsinginitialledlegalizelegalizedlegalizeslikeo.k.okayokayedokedokingpermitprobatedratifiedratifiesratifyrecognize
Show 20 more words
recognizedsanctionedsanctioningsign a petitionsign a proposalsignal approvalstampedsupportthink much oftickedunderwritesvalidandovalidar credenciaisvalidatevalidatedvalidatesvalidévettedvisaedyessed
Noun(47 words)
initialinginitialsitalian approvarekosherlegitimate powernoi validiamookayingokaysoklaokspassespermitspermittingplauditspro viewprocess related termput throughquality check stepratifyingrecommending
Show 27 more words
Adjective(6 words)
Adverb(1 words)
officially endorsed initiative
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: sanction, accede, accede to, acceded, accept.
- Sentence evidence is available for approve, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse, moby, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "approve".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "approve"
Keep "approve" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "approve" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "approve", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "approve" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
13 entriesauthoriseauthorizationauthorizeclearconsentendorsementevaluatejudgeofficial actionpasspass judgmentpolicy actionpositive evaluation
More specific
7 entriesbudget approvalcharter endorsementcurriculum approvalfavorable assessmentpolicy approvalproject approvalwarm endorsement
Collocations
6 entriesapproval processbudget approvalcurriculum approvalparental approvalplan approvalpolicy approval
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
7 entriesAntonyms
1 entriesSample sentences
24 total sentences available.
I entirely approve of what you say.
Source: tatoeba (17340)
I don't approve your decision.
Source: tatoeba (17662)
I can't approve of your going out with him.
Source: tatoeba (17758)
Showing 4 of 24 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "approve"?
Closest matches include sanction, accede, accede to, acceded, accept.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "approve"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.