sanctioned

American  

[sangk-shuhnd] / ˈsæŋk ʃənd /

adjective

1. authorized, approved, or allowed.

   Locke's main argument was that unlimited accumulation of wealth was moral, religiously sanctioned, and logical.

2. officially or formally ratified or confirmed.

   The event is run exclusively in association with the National Franchise Association, so participating franchisees have all met the NFA-sanctioned code of ethics.

3. penalized, especially by way of discipline or to force compliance with legal obligations.

   The embargo had no real impact—but how often have we ever seen a sanctioned political leader say, “OK, I guess I’ll give in now”?

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of sanction.

Other Word Forms

• nonsanctioned
  adjective
• quasi-sanctioned
  adjective
• unsanctioned
  adjective
• well-sanctioned
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of sanctioned

sanction ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Explanation

If something’s sanctioned it’s officially approved. Now that your mom has finally come around, watching football with your friends on Sunday is a sanctioned ritual. When something’s sanctioned, it’s been approved by an authority, like your mom or your school, or it follows established rules or traditions. Eating ham on Easter might be a sanctioned tradition in your family. The word can also be used to say that something has been approved or authorized in a legal sense. You may read about a sanctioned treaty that has been signed by all members of the United Nations.

Example Sentences

Sanctioned containerships Rayen and Daisy sailed in through Hormuz on Tuesday and were traveling toward the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, Lloyd’s List said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

Sanctioned tankers will deploy several strategies to evade detection - including flying under false flags, switching off their tracking signals, and broadcasting false locations.

From BBC • Jan. 23, 2026

Sanctioned by Washington since 2019, Venezuela sits on about a fifth of the world's oil reserves and was once a major crude supplier to the United States.

From Barron's • Jan. 15, 2026

Sanctioned, interrogated, smeared and threatened with violence: Is this a suspected terrorist, or perhaps a rogue politico?

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 26, 2023

Why laws and rights Sanctioned by all the annals designate With consular titles?

From Pharsalia; Dramatic Episodes of the Civil Wars by Lucan

Related Words

• accepted
• allowed
• approved
• licensed
• permitted