sanction

American  

[sangk-shuhn] / ˈsæŋk ʃən /

noun

1. authoritative permission or approval, as for an action.

   Synonyms:

   authorization

   Antonyms:

   prohibition, interdiction

2. something that serves to support an action, condition, etc.

3. something that gives binding force, as to an oath, rule of conduct, etc.

4. Law.

   1. a provision of a law enacting a penalty for disobedience or a reward for obedience.

   2. the penalty or reward.

5. International Law. action by one or more states toward another state calculated to force it to comply with legal obligations.

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verb (used with object)

1. to authorize, approve, or allow.

   an expression now sanctioned by educated usage.

   Synonyms:

   permit

   Antonyms:

   deny

2. to ratify or confirm.

   to sanction a law.

3. to impose a sanction on; penalize, especially by way of discipline.

sanction British  

/ ˈsæŋkʃən /

noun

1. final permission; authorization

2. aid or encouragement

3. something, such as an ethical principle, that imparts binding force to a rule, oath, etc

4. the penalty laid down in a law for contravention of its provisions

5. (often plural) a coercive measure, esp one taken by one or more states against another guilty of violating international law

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verb

1. to give authority to; permit

2. to make authorized; confirm

Usage

What does sanction mean? Sanction has two main senses that are almost opposites: it can refer to authorizing or approving something, or to penalizing or disciplining someone or something. Sanction can be used as a verb (meaning to authorize or to penalize) or a noun (meaning approval or penalty). It is most commonly used in official contexts. As a noun referring to a penalty, it is especially applied to situations in which one country’s government imposes economic sanctions on another to try to force it to comply with laws or certain expectations. Example: Economic sanctions are intended to force regimes to play by the rules, but they often end up hurting the average citizen.

Other Word Forms

• nonsanction noun
• resanction verb (used with object)
• sanctionable adjective
• sanctionative adjective
• sanctioner noun
• sanctionless adjective
• supersanction verb (used with object)
• unsanctionable adjective
• unsanctioning adjective

Etymology

Origin of sanction

First recorded in 1555–65; from Latin sānctiōn- (stem of sānctiō ), equivalent to sānct(us) (past participle of sancīre “to prescribe by law”) + -iōn- noun suffix; -ion

Explanation

Sanction has two nearly opposite meanings: to sanction can be to approve of something, but it can also mean to punish, or speak harshly to. Likewise, a sanction can be a punishment or approval. Very confusing — the person who invented this word should be publicly sanctioned! See if you can guess the meaning of sanction in the following contexts. Before invading Iraq, the U.S. and its allies first imposed sanctions on the country, refusing to supply the country with much-needed trade items. Did you guess that sanction = "punishment"? You were right! But by trading with China at the same time, the U.S. quietly sanctioned that nation's known instances of human rights abuses. Did you guess that sanction = "approval"? You're right again!

Example Sentences

I added in the guideline that we shouldn’t sanction an editor just because they start overusing some words or speaking in what’s “seen” as an A.I.-like tone.

From Slate • Apr. 1, 2026

Bonar told me that she was not challenging the sanction but declined to comment on it further.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026

Only four people have gone to prison for failing to pay council tax since 2020, it said, so highlighting the sanction was counterproductive when writing to those who had not been able to pay.

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026

However, analysts say the amount of oil involved in the brief sanction reprieve is insufficient to meaningfully ease the supply fears in the Persian Gulf that have seized global markets for the past two weeks.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 13, 2026

I felt explicitly that secret living I’d known throughout my life, but now for the first time it took the form of a bizarre sanction being with Pete and even Wen.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee

Related Words

• accredit
• allow
• approve
• certify
• empower
• endorse
• permit
• ratify
• warrant