to approve

Examples

• All

• The FDA last week approved its use in hospitals.

• Knowing you would not approve, I have sent him away.

  Francis of Assisi (1961)

• You have to wait for three more months for us to approve your your plans.

• So they have to approve who is going to be the candidate.

  Lex Fridman

• Singapore is now the first country in the world to approve the sale of lab created meat.

• Before the center opened, just 12 percent of neighborhood residents surveyed said they approved of the courts.

  Academic text (2011)

• By 1998, voters had their fill of the mess and approved Arizona's Citizens Clean Elections Act.

  Academic text (2011)

• All materials and procedures were approved by the Institutional Review Board of Bloomsburg University.

  Academic text (2011)

• I hope you approve.

  Rush (2013)

• The city will ask voters in November to approve a new $385 million bond package.

Synonyms

A

to agree

vsto approve

∞ 1.0

Have the same opinion or say yes

is less formal and may be personal opinion rather than official permission

A

to accept

vsto approve

∞ 1.3

To believe or agree that something is true

often has an official emphasis while this can be personal belief

P

to pass

vsto approve

∞ 2.3

To officially approve a law or rule

is broader and covers general authorization outside legislative contexts

V

to vote

vsto approve

804 1.0

To approve something by a group's official decision at a meeting

is a method of official decision making, not the same as general authorization

R

to recognize

vsto approve

• Formal

377 1.4

To accept something as official or valid

focuses on acknowledging status rather than simply giving permission or consent

C

to confirm

vsto approve

• Formal

265 2.6

To officially approve a person for a job, often by vote

is broader and applies to many things, not only official appointments

C

to clear

vsto approve

• Formal

209 5.5

To get official permission or approval

is the general term used for many kinds of official permission

E

to endorse

vsto approve

183 4.2

To publicly show support for a person or idea

is closer to private permission, not necessarily public backing or promotion

R

to ratify

vsto approve

• Formal

70 6.0

Officially approve an agreement, law, or decision

is more general and also covers informal or nonvoted permission

S

to sanction

vsto approve

• Formal

53 6.3

To give official permission for something

is broader and covers personal or informal consent as well

O

to okay

vsto approve

18 3.1

To give official permission to proceed

is more general and fits formal and informal contexts alike

C

to countenance

vsto approve

• Formal

10 8.3

To allow something by showing approval

is stronger and refers to explicit active support rather than mere tolerance

A

to assent

vsto approve

• Formal

4 6.6

To agree to a plan or idea, often formally

is broader, used for general consent and personal liking

O

to officialize

vsto approve

• US

1 7.0

To give something formal approval from someone in charge

focuses on the act of making authority public rather than simple consent

A

to approbate

vsto approve

• Formal

9.9

To give official permission to a plan or document by an authority

is used more generally and not limited to legal ceremony

O

to O.K.

vsto approve

2.3

To give permission to start or use something

is the general term used in many styles beyond the short casual form

H

to homologate

vsto approve

• Formal

9.9

To officially approve a product for legal or technical use

is broader and applies outside technical or regulatory certification

Antonyms

R

to reject

839 1.9

Refuse to accept someone or something

D

to disapprove

94 2.9

To think something is wrong or bad and show it

Phrasal Verbs

A

to approve this message

• Formal

3 4.9

To say in public that you agree with the words of a message

How Supportive

to ratify

• Formal

70 6.0

to endorse

183 4.2

to approve

∞ 1.6

to accept

793 1.0

Surface Forms

Etymology