approval rating

American  

[uh-proov-uhl rayt-ing] / əˈpruv əl ˌreɪt ɪŋ /

noun

approval ratings plural

1. a figure, expressed as a percentage, that indicates the proportion of respondents who express a favorable opinion of the performance of a particular person or organization, especially a political leader or a government administration.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• disapproval rating
  noun

Inflected Forms

noun

• approval ratings
  plural

Example Sentences

“If you’re getting a 13% approval rating in Congress among 18- to 34-year-olds, that tells you a lot about how people are feeling about the status quo,” Baldassare said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

After a year in office, Friedrich Merz has the lowest approval rating of any German chancellor in modern times.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 11, 2026

In comparison, his mother, Queen Elizabeth, garnered a 67% approval rating.

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026

The new mayor's approval rating, according to two polls released this week, stood at 48 percent with New York residents and 43 percent among voters.

From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026

Praised throughout the country, particularly in the nation’s newspapers, his approval rating reached an all-time high.

From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler