disapprove

verb

dis·​ap·​prove ˌdis-ə-ˈprüv How to pronounce disapprove (audio)
disapproved; disapproving; disapproves
Synonyms of disapprovenext

transitive verb

1
: to pass unfavorable judgment on
2
: to refuse approval to : reject

intransitive verb

: to feel or express disapproval
disapprover noun
disapprovingly adverb

Examples of disapprove in a Sentence

She married him even though her parents disapproved. The treaty was disapproved by the Senate.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Some 61% disapproved of the strikes, compared to 59% last week. Christopher Cann, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026 By then the oil companies, mindful of the world’s disapproving eyes, had positioned the gas flares among the vegetation and pointed the flames horizontally to limit their visibility from a distance. Noo Saro-Wiwa, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026 Recent polling bolsters the belief among his possible primary foes that Fetterman could be vulnerable in 2028, with 62% of Pennsylvania Democrats disapproving of his job in a Quinnipiac poll released last month. Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 24 Mar. 2026 The Internet is…the Internet, and soon Shah is facing escalating threats and disapproving media coverage, including a column by his ex (Ritu Arya’s Yasmin), arguing that a Pakistani-British man playing James Bond won’t erase the character’s neo-colonial stench, so why bother? Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 19 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for disapprove

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1562, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of disapprove was circa 1562

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Cite this Entry

“Disapprove.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disapprove. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

disapprove

verb
dis·​ap·​prove ˌdis-ə-ˈprüv How to pronounce disapprove (audio)
1
: to dislike or be against someone or something
disapproved the child's conduct
disapproves of smoking
2
: to refuse to give approval to : reject
disapproved the architect's plans
disapprovingly adverb

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