SANCTION Synonyms: 101 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'sanction' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of sanction are accredit , approve , certify , and endorse . While all these words mean "to have or express a favorable opinion of," sanction implies both approval and authorization. // the President sanctioned covert operations

Q: How do 'accredit' and 'certify' relate to one another, in the sense of 'sanction'?

Both 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

Q: In what contexts can 'approve' take the place of 'sanction'?

While the synonyms approve and sanction are close in meaning, approve often implies no more than this but may suggest considerable esteem or admiration. // the parents approve of the marriage

Q: When would 'endorse' be a good substitute for 'sanction'?

The synonyms endorse and sanction are sometimes interchangeable, but endorse suggests an explicit statement of support. // publicly endorsed her for Senator

sanction 1 of 2

noun

ˈsaŋ(k)-shən

Definition of sanction

as in permission

the approval by someone in authority for the doing of something you cannot make a student video without your faculty advisor's sanction of its subject matter prior to shooting

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sanction

2 of 2

verb

as in to approve

to give official acceptance of as satisfactory the administration will sanction almost any field trip with educational value

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb sanction differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of sanction are accredit, approve, certify, and endorse. While all these words mean "to have or express a favorable opinion of," sanction implies both approval and authorization.

the President sanctioned covert operations

How do accredit and certify relate to one another, in the sense of sanction?

Both 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

In what contexts can approve take the place of sanction?

While the synonyms approve and sanction are close in meaning, approve often implies no more than this but may suggest considerable esteem or admiration.

the parents approve of the marriage

When would endorse be a good substitute for sanction?

The synonyms endorse and sanction are sometimes interchangeable, but endorse suggests an explicit statement of support.

publicly endorsed her for Senator

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 sanction

Noun

And the European diplomatic service responded with derision to Trump’s waiver of sanctions. — Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026 Trump has accused the Ukrainian president of not wanting peace, while Zelenskyy has argued that Washington's easing of sanctions on Russia, including a deal on diesel, risks prolonging the conflict. — Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026

Verb

In addition to punishing women who seek the priesthood, the Catholic Church has also sanctioned male clergy who support those ordinations. — Jonathan Bullington, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026 The law could also sanction Russian leaders, officials, and financial institutions, and expand sanctions on Iran. — Azhar Sukri, CNBC, 17 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sanction

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sanction

Noun

Hard passes give journalists who regularly cover the White House longer-term access to its campus without having to get permission ahead of time.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026
The company has requested permission to launch Starship from its Starbase site in South Texas up to 456 times per year.

— Mike Wall, Space.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of permission

Verb

With production approved, the aircraft can now be sold to domestic and foreign carriers.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2026
Currently, Wegovy, the brand name for semaglutide, is the only weekly GLP-1 medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat obesity in children over 12 years old.

— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of approve

Noun

But the patient in the demo product had not signed any authorizations, so there was no way to show me how to revoke them.

— Alex Rosenblat — CalMatters, STAT, 15 Oct. 2026
Some plans are also adding utilization requirements, such as prior authorization.

— Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of authorization

Verb

But many agreements need to be ratified in each country, leaving them at the mercy of domestic lobbies, from farmers to automakers, which seek to protect their markets at the expense of the continent’s collective interest.

— Claas Mertens, Foreign Affairs, 19 Oct. 2026
To be ratified, the amendments need to only receive a majority of votes.

— Dan Raby, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of ratify

Noun

When asked if the ad was made with the campaign's knowledge or consent, Connie Luck, a spokesperson for Ramaswamy, released a lengthy statement Tuesday, but did not deny making the ad or denounce it.

— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026
Select Everything else, accept the consent terms if prompted, then take a photo or choose one from your phone.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of consent

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sanctimony

sanction

sanctioned

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“Sanction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sanction. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of sanction

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