approval

[ uh-proo-vuhl ]

/ əˈpru vəl /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for approval on Thesaurus.com

noun

the act of approving; approbation.

formal permission or sanction.

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

QUIZ

QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!

Were you ready for a quiz on this topic? Well, here it is! See how well you can differentiate between the uses of "was" vs. "were" in this quiz.

Question 1 of 7

“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.

true

false

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about approval

on approval, without obligation to buy unless satisfactory to the customer upon trial or examination and, otherwise, returnable: We ship merchandise on approval.

Origin of approval

First recorded in 1680–90; approve + -al²

OTHER WORDS FROM approval

non·ap·prov·al, nounpre·ap·prov·al, nounpro·ap·prov·al, adjectivere·ap·prov·al, noun

self-ap·prov·al, noun

Words nearby approval

appropriacy, appropriate, appropriately, appropriation, approvable, approval, approve, approved school, approved social worker, approver, approx.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use approval in a sentence

Other vaccines will almost certainly come to the market that only require one shot — Johnson & Johnson’s one-dose vaccine is already working through the last stage of federal approval.
Good news about America’s Covid-19 vaccine campaign|German Lopez|February 12, 2021|Vox
After a broader play about the group of enslaved people, who became known as the GU272, fell through, Short-Colomb said, she and Lab officials went to the university administration and got approval for her project.
An innovative Georgetown lab looks to theater to quell political fires|Peter Marks|February 12, 2021|Washington Post
City News Service reports that any recommendations proposed by the South County Environmental Justice Task Force to clean up the Tijuana River Valley would first need approval by the supervisors.
Morning Report: Vacancy Tax Déjà Vu|Voice of San Diego|February 11, 2021|Voice of San Diego
No one can remove someone’s liver without approval for medical purposes.
New technology can get inside your head. Are you ready?|Laura Sanders|February 11, 2021|Science News For Students

Much like a liver can’t be taken out of a body without approval for medical purposes, neural data shouldn’t be removed either.
Can privacy coexist with technology that reads and changes brain activity?|Laura Sanders|February 11, 2021|Science News
“The process of getting the approval is too slow and is too cumbersome,” Rogers said.
ISIS Fight Has a Spy Shortage, Intel Chair Says|Kimberly Dozier|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
They would have to get court approval to re-home their children.
Judge: Rehoming Kids Is Trafficking|Tina Traster|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was done after we had received a binding legal opinion from Justice and approval from the White House to proceed.
CIA Interrogation Chief: ‘Rectal Feeding,’ Broken Limbs Are News to Me|Kimberly Dozier|December 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Vreeland believes that in the end, his grandmother put her subtle seal of approval on his lifestyle.
From Fashion Player to Photographer Monk|Nina Strochlic|December 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He tried to contact a Health Republic doctor to overrule the nurse and get approval for payment.
My Insurance Company Killed Me, Despite Obamacare|Malcolm MacDougall|November 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At the store he would never have given in, but he was not accustomed to hearing so loud a murmur of approval greet the opposition.
The Soldier of the Valley|Nelson Lloyd
She pressed her hands tighter upon her bosom; her eyes sparkled with an odd approval of that brisk deed.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini
I shall be glad if your Majesty is satisfied and pleased with it, as in all I desire to win your approval.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XX, 1621-1624|Various
The socialist reads such criticism as the above with impatient approval.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice|Stephen Leacock
On September 17, the famous "Suffolk Resolves" were laid before the deputies for their approval.
The Eve of the Revolution|Carl Becker

British Dictionary definitions for approval

approval

/ (əˈpruːvəl) /

noun

the act of approving

formal agreement; sanction

a favourable opinion; commendation

on approval (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

Other Idioms and Phrases with approval

approval

see on approval; seal of approval.

approval

Idioms about approval

Origin of approval

OTHER WORDS FROM approval

Words nearby approval

Words related to approval

How to use approval in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for approval

Other Idioms and Phrases with approval