disapproval
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of disapproval
Explanation
Disapproval is what you express when you share your dislike or opposition. If you fail a class, you might worry both about your grade point average and also your parents' disapproval. When you sense disapproval in your teacher's voice after you show her a draft of your research paper, you might want to start over. You might feel disapproval yourself when you see your friend spend money instead of saving it, or watch your dad feel the dog from his plate at the dinner table. Disapproval uses the "opposite of" prefix dis- with approval, from its Latin root approbare, "to regard as good."
Vocabulary lists containing disapproval
Power Prefix: dis-
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dis-
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: dis-
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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.
Her disapproval ratings had remained high ever since the Palisades fire in 2025, which broke out when she was out of the country on a diplomatic mission.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026
The moves by the 45-year-old senator have been met in Brazil with a mixture of derision, disbelief, and disapproval, even from within his own camp.
From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026
And for Barry, any disapproval wouldn't reach the levels of his own inner-critic.
From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026
The plans eventually failed, as U.S. officials became aware of them, communicating their disapproval to Egyptian officials, according to the people.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
But when Burr began insulting those who believed in the spirits of the dead, the audience hissed their disapproval.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
