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.
Rodríguez’s disapproval rating climbed 5 percentage points to 63%.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll found that Trump’s approval rating among his base rural voters is now at 50%, down from 60% in February, with a disapproval rating of 48%, up from 34%.
From Salon ● Jun. 16, 2026
"We must be very careful, because he has a positive side that benefits us but also a high disapproval rating," he said, alluding to polls showing that Brazilians are divided over the US president.
From Barron's ● Jun. 9, 2026
“At least her disapproval made me feel secure and safe because she was connecting to me in some way where my dad did not. It was like, ‘OK, at least she sees me.’”
From Los Angeles Times ● May 7, 2026
He looked at his watch, and I caught Margaret’s eyebrows go skyward with a look of disapproval.
From "Silent To The Bone" by E.L. Konigsburg
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.
