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approval

American  
[uh-proo-vuhl] / əˈpru vəl /

noun

  1. the act of approving; approbation.

  2. formal permission or sanction.

  3. Philately. one of a group of selected stamps sent by a dealer to a prospective customer for examination and either purchase or return.

idioms

  1. on approval, without obligation to buy unless satisfactory to the customer upon trial or examination and, otherwise, returnable.

    We ship merchandise on approval.
approval British  
/ əˈpruːvəl /

noun

  1. the act of approving

  2. formal agreement; sanction

  3. a favourable opinion; commendation

  4. (of articles for sale) for examination with an option to buy or return

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
approval More Idioms  

  1. see on approval; seal of approval.

Other Word Forms

  • nonapproval noun
  • preapproval noun
  • proapproval adjective
  • reapproval noun
  • self-approval noun

Etymology

Origin of approval

First recorded in 1680–90; approve + -al 2

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The approvals strengthen Ultragreen’s ability to work with healthcare institutions and distribution partners, the analyst notes.

From The Wall Street Journal

The offering and listing are subject to approval by the German financial regulator.

From The Wall Street Journal

The settlement is subject to court approval and details of how customers can claim refunds will be made soon, said Echo Law, the legal firm leading the class action.

From BBC

The request for a trial still needs a judge's approval.

From Barron's

He persuaded Washington to go down the route of seeking UN approval.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.