as in favorable
expressing approval
the play did not receive a single approving notice
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in ratifying
to give official acceptance of as satisfactory
as soon as the pond project was approved, the bulldozers were at the site
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of approving
Amanda Castro
gabe Whisnant
anna Commander
shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 July 2025
For business finances, routinely monitoring account activity and personally approving transactions above a certain threshold can be life savers.
—Anne-Lyse Ngatta, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
Victoria Le, Oc Register, 28 Oct. 2025
Within 24 hours of approving a rule change that will allow student athletes and athletic department staff to bet only on professional sports, the FBI arrested more than 30 people in connection with a major sports gambling and betting scheme.
—Lz Granderson, Boston Herald, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for approving
Adjective
Even Dodgers' Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully was shown giving a thumbs-up afterward, adding an approving nod to the unconventional yet unforgettable performance.
—Amanda Castro
gabe Whisnant
anna Commander
shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 July 2025
For business finances, routinely monitoring account activity and personally approving transactions above a certain threshold can be life savers.
—Anne-Lyse Ngatta, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
Verb
Now the three cities are organizing to create a Little Saigon business improvement district, with Fountain Valley councilmembers most recently approving the memorandum of understanding for the use of the state grant.
—Victoria Le, Oc Register, 28 Oct. 2025
Within 24 hours of approving a rule change that will allow student athletes and athletic department staff to bet only on professional sports, the FBI arrested more than 30 people in connection with a major sports gambling and betting scheme.
—Lz Granderson, Boston Herald, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for approving
Recent Examples of Synonyms for approving
Adjective
-
The measure’s approval allows Democrats to redraw congressional maps more favorable to their party in the nation’s largest state and keep up with Republicans who have moved to add potential new red House seats in Texas and elsewhere.—
Josh Boak,
Fortune,
6 Nov. 2025
-
By contrast, the Moon is a much more favorable environment by many metrics.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The United States signed the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1996 during President Bill Clinton's first term, but the Senate voted against ratifying the treaty.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Delegates of Workers United and the company resumed bargaining in April 2024 with the goal of ratifying a new contract by the end of the year, but that never came to pass as negotiations stalled with both sides blaming the other for not coming to the table.—
Bradley Hohulin,
IndyStar,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Tabor said the Detention Center still sees detainees who test positive for covid-19, though not in the large numbers that were reported during the height of the pandemic in 2021.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Weights can be adjusted post-fabrication using bistable variable stiffness beams, allowing some matrix entries to switch between positive, negative, or zero.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The Air Jordan 3 has been in the news quite a bit recently, with SoleFly confirming that a shipment of its upcoming collaboration was stolen and could delay the launch.—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
5 Nov. 2025
-
House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, released a statement Tuesday evening confirming that lawmakers will not convene in Topeka on Friday for the redistricting special session that GOP leaders have been pushing for weeks.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Non-perishable items or foods that last a long time in the fridge can be good options.—
Merve Ceylan,
Health,
26 Oct. 2025
-
The baby, who initially made good progress after the surgery, died 20 days later.—
Arizona Republic,
AZCentral.com,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Some Aquarians might be finalizing a move, mending family dynamics, or finally releasing emotional weight that’s been stored deep in the body.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
2 Nov. 2025
-
The Nats are finalizing a deal to hire Blake Butera, 33, according to ESPN, which was first to report the news, and The Washington Post.—
Anna Lazarus Caplan,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The state legislation authorizing the referendum called for the establishment of a new authority to govern the Charlotte Area Transit System.—
Caitlin McGlade,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Pinkerton said that insurers are also likely to require women who want to take the drug to try two marginally effective but less expensive drugs, Gabapentin and Effexor, before authorizing Lynkuet.—
Fran Kritz,
Verywell Health,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Democrats and Republicans have remained stagnated in negotiations to reopen the government, as Senate Democrats hold out on endorsing a continuing resolution to force a vote on expiring health care subsidies.—
Alysa Guffey,
IndyStar,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Former President Barack Obama stopped short of endorsing but called Mamdani over the weekend, offering to be a sounding board.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Approving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/approving. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share