approve

verb

ap·prove | \ ə-ˈprüv

approved; approving

Definition of approve

1 : to have or express a favorable opinion of couldn't approve such conduct

2a : 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 & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about approve

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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

Delays in getting the pension bill approved by lawmakers are fueling doubts about the administration’s ability to right the economic ship at a difficult moment for Latin America’s largest nation. ... — Jeffrey T. Lewis, WSJ, "Delays to Brazil’s Pension Overhaul Increase Economic Concerns," 8 May 2019 The city for years used a pool disinfectant not approved by the EPA in a drinking water well, which was taken offline last summer. ___ ELIZABETH WARREN Sen. Elizabeth Warren said the United States is a world leader on the climate issue. — Alexandra Jaffe, The Seattle Times, "Workers’ rights are a 2020 campaign focus this weekend," 14 Apr. 2019 Check out some of Walmart's best-selling products, approved by our own Good Housekeeping Institute, below. — Marisa Lascala, Good Housekeeping, "Here's How Walmart's New Baby Registry Actually Works," 4 Apr. 2019 Keep reading to learn one (or 21) new skin-care tips and tricks — all approved by dermatologists. 1. — Kat Suico, Allure, "The 21 Best Skin-Care Tips of All Time, According to Dermatologists," 23 Mar. 2019 Finally, there are devices approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to relieve RLS symptoms. — Kristin Auble, SELF, "9 Facts to Know About Restless Legs Syndrome," 16 Mar. 2019 Cunningham applied and was approved for serving out his sentence under house arrest while equipped with a 24/7 GPS device. — Alexander Huls, Popular Mechanics, "The Great Star Wars Heist," 7 Mar. 2019 Xofluza was the first anti-flu medication approved in the U.S. in nearly 20 years. — Megumi Fujikawa, WSJ, "A Flu Drug Was Called ‘Silver Bullet,’ but Some Doctors Prescribe Caution," 11 Feb. 2019 Another poll from HuffPost and YouGov found only 36 percent of Americans approved of Trump’s handling of the government shutdown. — Tara Golshan, Vox, "Trump’s approval rating drops to Charlottesville levels during shutdown," 27 Dec. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'approve.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.