disapprove
Americanverb (used with object)
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disapproves,
present (3rd person singular)
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disapproved,
past participle, past
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disapproving
present participle
verb (used without object)
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disapproves,
present (3rd person singular)
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disapproved,
past participle, past
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disapproving
present participle
verb
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to consider wrong, bad, etc
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(tr) to withhold approval from
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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disapprovesimple
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disapprovessimple
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have disapprovedperfect
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has disapprovedperfect
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am disapprovingprogressive
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are disapprovingprogressive
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is disapprovingprogressive
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have been disapprovingperfect progressive
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has been disapprovingperfect progressive
Past
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disapprovedsimple
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had disapprovedperfect
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was disapprovingprogressive
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were disapprovingprogressive
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had been disapprovingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of disapprove
Explanation
To disapprove is to object to something, or frown on it. Your parents, worried about head injuries, might disapprove of your joining the football team. You can say that you disapprove of violence in movies and video games, or that you disapprove of censorship of any kind. Almost everyone disapproves of things like drunk driving or being cruel to animals. In all of these examples, to disapprove is to believe something is wrong or bad. Originally, in the 15th century, the word meant "disprove," but by the mid-1600s the meaning shifted to "the reverse of approve."
Vocabulary lists containing disapprove
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.
See Examples For:
Eighty-seven percent of Peruvians disapprove of the legislature, according to an Ipsos poll.
From Barron's ● Jun. 5, 2026
According to the survey, 41% approve of his work, compared with 29% who disapprove.
From BBC ● Jun. 1, 2026
It’s not as if voters can go to the voting booth and show that they disapprove of this.
From Slate ● May 7, 2026
According to Gallup, as of September 2025, 42% of respondents approve, 52% disapprove and 6% have no opinion of the Supreme Court.
From Salon ● Apr. 25, 2026
Or maybe you worry that folks would disapprove, but I don’t think they would, not if you two was married.
From "Out of Darkness" by Ashley Hope Pérez
Gladys’ marriage is the product of a financial arrangement brokered by Bertha, of which George disapproves.
From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2025
There are some signs Mr Xi disapproves of the burgeoning alliance between two of his allies.
From BBC ● Jun. 19, 2024
First, the charter reforms would allow the commission to place ordinances on the ballot only if the council ignores its proposals altogether or disapproves them with zero amendments.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 6, 2024
“The prosecution clearly disapproves of Mr. Lazzaro’s playboy lifestyle,” Gerdts said.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 31, 2023
He knows, she saw at once, and he disapproves.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
The King warned, in a message recorded at Balmoral earlier this month, that his mother would have disapproved of the current state of the world.
From BBC ● Apr. 20, 2026
The Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll, which was taken before the court ruling, found that 57% of respondents disapproved of Trump’s managing of the economy, and 64% disapproved of his handling of tariffs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 25, 2026
A Pew Research poll from November showed that 70 percent of Latinos disapproved of his performance.
From Barron's ● Feb. 10, 2026
A Wall Street Journal poll found 58% of voters under 30 disapproved of the job Trump is doing as president.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 31, 2026
Rashid had heard those words all his life, typically after he’d done something his parents disapproved of.
From "Time Bomb" by Joelle Charbonneau
Mr. Ficarra’s contribution to a standard character includes a silent, disapproving commentary on the sometimes inane antics of his boss.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
They can issue a resolution disapproving of the president’s conduct.
From Slate ● Mar. 2, 2026
When questioned, he claimed to be a US official before leaving to disapproving looks from locals, according to an AFP journalist at the scene.
From Barron's ● Jan. 29, 2026
Another display like this and he might well cement his place in Lions history in Melbourne next Saturday - and the disapproving voices, if they exist at all, will be silent at last.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2025
Thomas makes a disapproving sound in his throat, but I break into a grin.
From "Legend" by Marie Lu
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.
