approve

verb

ap·​prove ə-ˈprüv 

approved; approving

transitive verb

1

: to have or express a favorable opinion of

couldn't approve such conduct

2

a

: to accept as satisfactory

hopes she will approve the date of the meeting

b

: to give formal or official sanction (see sanction entry 1 sense 4c) to : ratify

Congress approved the proposed budget.

3

obsolete : prove, attest

intransitive verb

: to take a favorable view

doesn't approve of fighting

Synonyms

• accredit
• approbate
• authorize
• clear
• confirm
• finalize
• formalize
• homologate
• OK
• okay
• ratify
• sanction
• warrant

Choose the Right Synonym for approve

approve, endorse, sanction, accredit, certify mean to have or express a favorable opinion of.

approve often implies no more than this but may suggest considerable esteem or admiration.

the parents approve of the marriage

endorse suggests an explicit statement of support.

publicly endorsed her for Senator

sanction implies both approval and authorization.

the President sanctioned covert operations

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

Examples of approve in a Sentence

I don't care if all the other parents are letting their kids do it; I still don't approve.

The state has approved the building plans, so work on the new school can begin immediately.

Your supervisor must approve the report before it can be sent.

Recent Examples on the Web

The agreements were approved by a senior Pentagon official who oversees the military court at Guantanamo Bay. —Eleanor Watson, CBS News, 31 Dec. 2024

An Aubrey's Restaurant is under construction on West Main Street in Lebanon after the City Council and the Industrial Development Board unanimously approved a $1.5 million incentive. —Andy Humbles, The Tennessean, 30 Dec. 2024

By December 2022, eight months into the war, the assessments had almost reversed: 41 percent approved of the government and only nine percent did not. —Anton Grushetskyi, Foreign Affairs, 30 Dec. 2024

In November the council approved new restrictions on sidewalk vending, setting limited hours and guidelines on where vendors can operate in town. —Isha Trivedi, The Mercury News, 30 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French apruer, approver, from Latin approbare, from ad- + probare to prove — more at prove

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 3

Phrases Containing approve

• pre-approve

Kids Definition

approve

verb

ap·​prove ə-ˈprüv 

approved; approving

1

: to think well of

2

: to accept as satisfactory

approvingly

-ˈprü-viŋ-lē 

adverb

Legal Definition

approve

transitive verb

ap·​prove

approved; approving

: to give formal or official sanction to : ratify

Congress approved the proposed budget