sanction
Americannoun
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sanctions
plural
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authoritative permission or approval, as for an action.
- Synonyms:
- authorization
- Antonyms:
- prohibition, interdiction
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something that serves to support an action, condition, etc.
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something that gives binding force, as to an oath, rule of conduct, etc.
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Law.
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a provision of a law enacting a penalty for disobedience or a reward for obedience.
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the penalty or reward.
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International Law. action by one or more states toward another state calculated to force it to comply with legal obligations.
verb (used with object)
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sanctions,
present (3rd person singular)
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sanctioned,
past participle, past
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sanctioning
present participle
noun
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final permission; authorization
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aid or encouragement
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something, such as an ethical principle, that imparts binding force to a rule, oath, etc
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the penalty laid down in a law for contravention of its provisions
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(often plural) a coercive measure, esp one taken by one or more states against another guilty of violating international law
verb
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to give authority to; permit
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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
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nonsanctionnoun
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sanctionernoun
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resanctionverb (used with object)
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supersanctionverb (used with object)
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sanctionableadjective
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sanctionativeadjective
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sanctionlessadjective
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unsanctionableadjective
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unsanctioningadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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sanctionsimple
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sanctionssimple
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have sanctionedperfect
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has sanctionedperfect
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am sanctioningprogressive
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are sanctioningprogressive
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is sanctioningprogressive
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have been sanctioningperfect progressive
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has been sanctioningperfect progressive
Past
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sanctionedsimple
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had sanctionedperfect
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was sanctioningprogressive
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were sanctioningprogressive
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had been sanctioningperfect progressive
Future
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!
Vocabulary lists containing sanction
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Two-Faced Words: Contronyms
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The SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 5
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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.
See Examples For:
A spokesperson for Zanjani also previously told the Journal that the financier “has neither required nor relied upon any cryptocurrency exchange for the purpose of money laundering or sanction evasion.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
No sanction has yet been announced but City could face substantial points deductions, a fine or even expulsion from the Premier League.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
No sanction has yet been decided upon but City could face substantial points deductions, a fine or even expulsion from the top division.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
Premier League rules do not directly make reference to such a sanction, with a fine, points deduction or expulsion listed as possible punishments.
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026
“Well, papa, if this is not encouragement to marry, I do not know what is. And I should never have expected you to be lending your sanction to such vanity-baits for poor young ladies.”
From "Emma" by Jane Austen
The BBC understands the Treasury is suspending sanctions on Russian diesel exports until 7 April 2027 but other assets like those in American banks are still frozen.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
AFP breaks down the likely impact of the sanctions, possible responses, and the reasons behind Washington's unprecedented move, which the court said was an "assault on the rule of law".
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
Executives at the conference listed the challenges to ramping up output: power cuts, a small pool of experienced contractors, and the difficulty of securing project financing while navigating a web of U.S. sanctions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen has said the sanctions would seriously affect the court's ability to function.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
Far from collateral, these sanctions can be the most damaging and painful aspect of a criminal conviction.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
Eckert has been sanctioned for three breaches of FA Rule E3.1.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
In August, the U.S. sanctioned a network of companies that provided fuel to Iranian ships.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
One was the Elva, a sanctioned tanker that had loaded up with oil on Iran’s Kharg Island and crossed the Strait of Hormuz in June, according to financial data provider LSEG.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
He warned that slaughtering elephants for celebratory feasting could encourage poaching by creating the impression that killing elephants is acceptable when sanctioned by government.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
He raises the truck’s aerial, puts on the headset, and scans the spectra, trying to find anything that is not sanctioned.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
On Tuesday, the U.S. intensified its pressure on the airline, sanctioning intermediaries that this summer helped it buy at least three secondhand Boeing B-777s that had been diverted through the United Arab Emirates and Oman.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026
However, it is understood that Liverpool would prefer to sign another forward before sanctioning Gakpo's exit this summer.
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026
Given how late in the transfer window the talks are taking place between Liverpool and Manchester City, the Anfield side will now consider the situation before sanctioning any move.
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026
He announced that the U.S. is sanctioning more than 60 entities, individuals and vessels across the globe that enable Iran to procure technology, earn oil revenue and carry out cyber operations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
It is bound by the statutes sanctioning its doctrine and order, but within these limits its legislative and judicial freedom is unimpaired.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 7 "Equation" to "Ethics" by Various
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.
