rubber stamp

¹ 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 ² 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 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 1885–90

Origin of rubber-stamp²

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

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 • Nov. 3, 2025

“I would hate that today becomes a rubber stamp for a maintenance plan that says ‘trust us.’

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 26, 2024

It’s not just going to rubber stamp all of these policies.

From Slate • Sep. 21, 2023

Although the final decision rests with the IOC members, who will meet from Oct. 15-17 in Mumbai, India, that would typically be a formality to rubber stamp the board’s position.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 6, 2023

First there came mimeographed letters of commendation, then real letters signed by the Secretary of the Treasury, and not with a rubber stamp either.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck