rubber-stamp

¹ American  

[ruhb-er-stamp] / ˈrʌb ərˈstæmp /

verb (used with object)

1. to imprint with a rubber stamp.

2. to give approval automatically or without consideration.

   to rubber-stamp the president's proposals.

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adjective

1. tending to give approval automatically or without due consideration.

   a rubber-stamp Congress that passed all the president's bills.

rubber stamp ² American  

noun

1. a device with a rubber printing surface that becomes coated with ink by being pressed on an ink-saturated pad, used for imprinting dates, addresses, standard designations or notices, etc., by hand.

2. a person or government agency that gives approval automatically or routinely.

3. such approval.

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rubber stamp British  

noun

1. a device used for imprinting dates or commonly used phrases on forms, invoices, etc

2. automatic authorization of a payment, proposal, etc, without challenge

3. a person who makes such automatic authorizations; a cipher or person of little account

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verb

1. to imprint (forms, invoices, etc) with a rubber stamp

2. informal to approve automatically

rubber stamp Idioms  

1. A person or organization that automatically approves or endorses a policy without assessing its merit; also, such an approval or endorsement. For example, The nominating committee is merely a rubber stamp; they approve anyone the chairman names, or The dean gave his rubber stamp to the recommendations of the tenure committee. This metaphoric term alludes to the rubber printing device used to imprint the same words over and over. [Early 1900s]

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Etymology

Origin of rubber-stamp¹

First recorded in 1915–20; v. use of rubber stamp

Origin of rubber stamp¹

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

"If we are rubber stamp, we will not propose so many comments," Leung said, referring to the approval of a homegrown national security law last year.

From Barron's

By the late 1850s, Northerners were equally fed up with the Supreme Court, which under Chief Justice Roger B. Taney was seen as a rubber stamp for slaveholders’ goals.

From Los Angeles Times

When she’s not writing, you can find her exploring museums and restaurants around Southern California, collecting rubber stamps and doing crossword puzzles.

From Los Angeles Times

But a federal judge put the plea deal on hold last year, saying she did not want to “rubber stamp” an unorthodox and complex agreement that was reached without her input.

From Los Angeles Times

“Things are very different now. Things evolved during the period of time that I was there where the police commissioners, for all intents and purposes, provided a rubber stamp,” he said in the deposition.

From Los Angeles Times