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
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
Also unsatisfied are those who approve of nothing he has done and yet are happy to rub in his face his TACO-like unwillingness to engage in further acts of which they would also disapprove.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 10, 2026
You always hear about parents who disapprove of their kids’ friends, and my mom’s the exact opposite.
From "Leah on the Offbeat" by Becky Albertalli
Gladys’ marriage is the product of a financial arrangement brokered by Bertha, of which George disapproves.
From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2025
Under the FDCPA, they cannot call you at work if they know your employer disapproves.
From Slate ● Aug. 16, 2024
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
“First of all, Charlie and I aren’t looking to get married. Second of all, I know their family disapproves of me.”
From "Because of Mr. Terupt" by Rob Buyea
They definitely disapproved of our government violating due process: “We’re a country built on laws.”
From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2026
Even so, Zaslav’s package failed to win shareholder support; 84% of those who voted in June disapproved, following a similar rejection a year before.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026
In the survey, 60% of respondents disapproved of the military strikes on Iran, while 35% approved.
From BBC ● Apr. 1, 2026
An Economist/YouGov poll conducted in early February 2025 found that 51% of Americans approved of his immigration policies while 40% disapproved.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 17, 2026
Master repeated her expression as if he somehow disapproved of it.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
“Please don’t do that to Graham,” Annie said, knowing about my boyfriend’s and my decision around marriage and clearly disapproving of the style of the dress.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
But to Gino the revered patriarch was distant and disapproving.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
Worryingly for Lula, the Datafolha poll showed 51 percent of voters disapproving of his performance.
From Barron's ● Apr. 24, 2026
They can issue a resolution disapproving of the president’s conduct.
From Slate ● Mar. 2, 2026
Mr. White clucked his tongue like a disapproving schoolmarm.
From "Hollow City" by Ransom Riggs
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.
