approve
Americanverb (used with object)
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to speak or think favorably of; pronounce or consider agreeable or good; judge favorably.
to approve the policies of the administration.
- Synonyms:
- esteem, appreciate
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to consent or agree to.
Father approved our plan to visit Chicago.
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to confirm or sanction formally; ratify.
The Senate promptly approved the bill.
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Obsolete.
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to demonstrate; show.
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to make good; attest.
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to prove by trial.
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to convict.
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verb (used without object)
verb
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to consider fair, good, or right; commend (a person or thing)
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(tr) to authorize or sanction
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obsolete (tr) to demonstrate or prove by trial
verb
Related Words
Approve, commend, praise mean to have, and usually to express, a favorable opinion. To approve is to have a very good opinion, expressed or not, of someone or something: He approved the new plan. To commend is to speak or write approvingly, often formally and publicly, to congratulate or honor for something done: to commend a worker for a job well done. To praise is to speak or write, often in glowing and emotional terms, about one or more persons, actions, plans, etc.: to praise someone's courage.
Other Word Forms
- approvedly adverb
- approvedness noun
- approvingly adverb
- nonapproved adjective
- preapprov verb
- reapprove verb
- self-approved adjective
- self-approving adjective
- unapproved adjective
- unapproving adjective
- unapprovingly adverb
- well-approved adjective
Etymology
Origin of approve
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English a(p)proven, from Anglo-French, Old French aprover, from Latin approbāre, equivalent to ap- ap- 1 + probāre “to prove ”
Explanation
When you take your new love to meet your parents, you hope that they approve of your choice in partners, but when your date starts eating with his hands at dinner, chances are pretty slim. Approve was first used like to mean "prove" or "show"––think, "The proof is in the pudding." Now, approve means to officially agree. You might need the principal to sign off on, or approve, any purchase of new materials for the classroom. Congress can also approve a bill or budget in this way. It’s important to remember that, like apple and appropriate, approve is spelled with a double “p.”
Vocabulary lists containing approve
List 7
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for August 21–August 27, 2021
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for October 1–October 7, 2022
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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.
Only 37% of Americans approve of how Trump is handling the U.S. economy, according to a RealClearPolitics average of polls.
From MarketWatch • May 1, 2026
The Canadian government authorized a generic version of Ozempic developed by Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, making it the first G-7 country to approve a generic version of the massively popular GLP-1 diabetes treatment.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026
Becerra proposes to require cities and counties to approve or deny building permits within 90 days, loosening certain regulations for infill projects and reforming construction defect laws to encourage more construction of entry-level condos.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
Redrawing maps typically triggers court battles, and US courts are often reluctant to approve last-minute changes that could disrupt elections.
From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026
“He would approve of your plans, Jane? I know they would be clever, for you are a talented creature!”
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
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.
