as in approving
to give official acceptance of as satisfactory
the administration will sanction almost any field trip with educational value
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as in approval
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Recent Examples of sanctioning
Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025
There is increasing international condemnation and sanctioning of some of the government’s more prominent members who are accused of using genocidal language against the Palestinians in Gaza and elsewhere.
—Asher Kaufman, The Conversation, 23 Aug. 2025
Richard Gowan, Time, 22 Sep. 2025
The entities sued the motorsport sanctioning body after declining to sign the charter agreement that NASCAR made available to teams to sign in September.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 2 Sep. 2025
In reality, the first scenario does not exist and the guarantees that would underpin the second are impossible to give, meaning sanctioning a sale at this stage in the window, at any price, would represent a sporting gamble that could be risky at best, reckless at worst.
—Steve Madeley, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
Trump has refrained from sanctioning Russian trading partners but has remained adamant about ending the war.
—Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 20 Aug. 2025
The four-belt era in boxing began in 2007 when the World Boxing Organization (WBO) became the fourth major sanctioning body.
—Eduardo Tansley, The Athletic, 20 Dec. 2024
Nascar traditionally held single-car, single-lap qualifying until the mid-2000s, when the sanctioning body believed changing the format would boost TV ratings for qualifying.
—Joseph Wolkin, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
Further sanctioning the already ailing Cuban economy could backfire though.
—Patrick Oppmann, CNN, 8 Dec. 2024
Sergey Pivovarov | Reuters The White House had been wary of sanctioning the bank before, since it’s also used to receive payments from European buyers of Russian natural gas — but most of these consumers have looked to greatly reduce their Russian gas purchases since the war started.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 28 Nov. 2024
Verb
The sanctioning of high school sports is critical to allow student-athletes to safely participate in sports without the risk of exploitation.
—Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025
There is increasing international condemnation and sanctioning of some of the government’s more prominent members who are accused of using genocidal language against the Palestinians in Gaza and elsewhere.
—Asher Kaufman, The Conversation, 23 Aug. 2025
Noun
Despite their rifts, the permanent members of the Security Council still agree on a wide range of subjects from aid operations to sanctioning jihadists.
—Richard Gowan, Time, 22 Sep. 2025
The entities sued the motorsport sanctioning body after declining to sign the charter agreement that NASCAR made available to teams to sign in September.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 2 Sep. 2025
In reality, the first scenario does not exist and the guarantees that would underpin the second are impossible to give, meaning sanctioning a sale at this stage in the window, at any price, would represent a sporting gamble that could be risky at best, reckless at worst.
—Steve Madeley, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
Trump has refrained from sanctioning Russian trading partners but has remained adamant about ending the war.
—Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 20 Aug. 2025
The four-belt era in boxing began in 2007 when the World Boxing Organization (WBO) became the fourth major sanctioning body.
—Eduardo Tansley, The Athletic, 20 Dec. 2024
Nascar traditionally held single-car, single-lap qualifying until the mid-2000s, when the sanctioning body believed changing the format would boost TV ratings for qualifying.
—Joseph Wolkin, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
Further sanctioning the already ailing Cuban economy could backfire though.
—Patrick Oppmann, CNN, 8 Dec. 2024
Sergey Pivovarov | Reuters The White House had been wary of sanctioning the bank before, since it’s also used to receive payments from European buyers of Russian natural gas — but most of these consumers have looked to greatly reduce their Russian gas purchases since the war started.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 28 Nov. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sanctioning
Verb
-
In July 2025, CMS stopped approving Section 1115 waivers for multi-year continuous eligibility for children.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Each retailer chose the artist and commissioned the cover that will be exclusive to their stores, with Liefeld approving it all.—
Aaron Couch,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Twelve years after the Kewaunee Power Station shuttered, wounding the local economy, owner EnergySolutions is seeking government approval to build a new nuclear plant at the site — and is trying to buy hundreds of acres of farmland around it.—
Miranda Dunlap,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
-
The American Chiropractic Association has endorsed Avocado mattresses since 2020 and the mattress is 100% organic from its materials to production process, which gives Kovac all the more reason to give the bed a five-star approval from me.—
Kristi Kellogg,
Architectural Digest,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
Bethea said the fact that Sky Chefs has delayed ratifying their contract at BWI is a testament to its values.—
Chevall Pryce,
Baltimore Sun,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Might he be granted permission to visit her?—
Stacy Schiff,
The Atlantic,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Disruption doesn’t wait for permission.—
HBR Editors,
Harvard Business Review,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
NBCUniversal has locked in its usual Monday kickoff week to upfronts week in New York, confirming May 11 as the date of its main presentation to advertisers at Radio City Music Hall.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
8 Oct. 2025
-
In the opposite corner is a certificate, confirming Chad Williams’ plaque on the ‘AV150 legacy wall’.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
After President Joe Biden withdrew his reelection campaign yesterday, the endorsements have been rolling in for Vice President Kamala Harris to be selected as the Democratic nominee for the upcoming election.—
Anna Tingley,
Variety,
6 Oct. 2025
-
During his 2020 Presidential campaign, Yang advocated for a universal basic income of a thousand dollars per month, an idea that won endorsements from Nicolas Cage and Elon Musk.—
Charlotte Goddu,
New Yorker,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In response to that news, Colbert received an outpouring of support from many of his current and former fellow talk-show hosts, including Kimmel, who even took out a billboard in Los Angeles endorsing Colbert (against his own show), for an Emmy.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Oct. 2025
-
The pop star has been more vocal in recent years about her political stances, including endorsing then-Vice President Kamala Harris in the most recent presidential election.—
Lisa Respers France,
CNN Money,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Rapid amyloid-β clearance and cognitive recovery through multivalent modulation of blood–brain barrier transport.—
Hannah Millington,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Additionally, their clearance could be withheld until the proof can be verified.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
6 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sanctioning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sanctioning. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
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