Showing results for "sanctioned"

• past tense form of sanction.
• past participle of sanction.

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

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Etymology

Origin of sanctioned

sanction ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

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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

See Examples For:

sanctioned

The Treasury Department has removed the top lawmaker's name from its list of sanctioned individuals, according to a notice by the Office of Foreign Assets Control.

From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026

The Foreign Office has also sanctioned two Iranians, including the head of the regime's counterespionage operations - with both men subjected to travel bans and asset freezes.

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

Then the Treasury Department sanctioned Zanjani and Zedcex in late January for moving funds for the IRGC.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

Eckert has been sanctioned for three breaches of FA Rule E3.1.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

Twenty states rewarded individual schools for good test scores or dramatic improvement; thirty-two states sanctioned the schools that didn’t do well.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt

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Related Words

• accepted
• allowed
• approved
• licensed
• permitted

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