sanction

American  

[sangk-shuhn] / ˈsæŋk ʃən /

noun

• sanctions
  plural

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)

• sanctions,
  present (3rd person singular)
• sanctioned,
  past participle,  past
• sanctioning
  present participle

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

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• sanctions
  plural

Participles

• sanctioning
  present
• sanctioned
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• sanction
  simple
• sanctions
  simple
• have sanctioned
  perfect
• has sanctioned
  perfect
• am sanctioning
  progressive
• are sanctioning
  progressive
• is sanctioning
  progressive
• have been sanctioning
  perfect progressive
• has been sanctioning
  perfect progressive

Past

• sanctioned
  simple
• had sanctioned
  perfect
• was sanctioning
  progressive
• were sanctioning
  progressive
• had been sanctioning
  perfect progressive

Future

• will sanction
  simple
• will have sanctioned
  perfect
• will be sanctioning
  progressive
• will have been sanctioning
  perfect progressive

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; see -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

See Examples For:

sanction sanctions sanctioned sanctioning

Argentina have also been ordered to play their next two home matches with 50% capacity, though one match of that sanction is suspended.

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

"The sanction against me this time was something I had anticipated to an extent, so I'm not surprised," Akane said in a statement released on X by her publisher Bungei Shunju.

From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026

The sanction was later transferred from the lawyer to the U.S. attorney’s office, though Nunley warned that he would issue more if he didn’t see proof immigrants had been set free as ordered.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026

“A sanction of that size has no analog in the history of consumer protection enforcement,” the company said in a filing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

The federal Bureau of Indian Affairs had given its sanction for Navajos to join up.

From "Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two" by Joseph Bruchac

Hong Kong’s government said it vigorously enforces United Nations sanctions but not those imposed unilaterally by individual nations, which it says violate international law.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026

“We would likely need to see the U.S. lift its blockade on Iranian ports and ease sanctions on Iran before we see any move towards normalization.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026

Years of sanctions imposed on Libya by the United Nations led to the two men being handed over to stand trial at a Scottish court sitting in the Netherlands.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

Watch: What are these sanctions and who will be affected?

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

Even though Mrs. Thatcher was on the opposite side of the ANC on many issues, such as sanctions, she was always a forthright and solicitous lady.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Close to 60 entities, individuals and vessels that enable the regime’s “recklessness” were sanctioned, the Treasury said in a statement.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026

He declined to lay out the timelines, leaving Mr. Trump room to delay, but he said to expect “a major announcement of a financial institution being sanctioned by the end of this week.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026

But on Friday she appeared to wash her hands of his return, with her government saying it was a "personal choice" By Rocha that she had not sanctioned.

From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026

The U.S. has also urged the U.A.E. during the war to take tougher action against sanctioned Iranian entities and other networks operating covertly in the Emirates, the people said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

But in fact, the settlers’ demands and actions led to federally sanctioned warfare against Indigenous peoples much as they had before the revolution.

From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

Bessent said the U.S. was sanctioning more than 60 entities, individuals and vessels across the world that enable the regime to procure nuclear and missile technology, collect oil revenue and carry out cyber operations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026

“In the end that sacred project actually tends to produce sectarian narrowness, exclusion, uniformity, silencing, self-censorship, lack of debate, the negative sanctioning of nonconformists, and the debilitation of rigorous thought.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026

Elsewhere, former cruiserweight rival Murat Gassiev - beaten by Usyk in their undisputed clash in 2018 - holds the WBA 'regular' title and also sits high in the sanctioning queue.

From BBC ● May 24, 2026

He also addressed the recent sanctioning by the US of his predecessor, Joseph Kabila, for allegedly supporting rebel groups.

From BBC ● May 7, 2026

And the resolution of Congress sanctioning a call for a convention recommended it "for the sole and express purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation."

From The Great Events by Famous Historians, Volume 14 by Various

Related Words

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