Showing results for "sanctioned"

• past participle of sanction.
• past tense form of sanction.

sanctioned

American  

[sangk-shuhnd] / ˈsæŋk ʃənd /

adjective

1. authorized, approved, or allowed.

   Locke's main argument was that unlimited accumulation of wealth was moral, religiously sanctioned, and logical.

2. officially or formally ratified or confirmed.

   The event is run exclusively in association with the National Franchise Association, so participating franchisees have all met the NFA-sanctioned code of ethics.

3. penalized, especially by way of discipline or to force compliance with legal obligations.

   The embargo had no real impact—but how often have we ever seen a sanctioned political leader say, “OK, I guess I’ll give in now”?

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of sanction.

Other Word Forms

• nonsanctioned
  adjective
• quasi-sanctioned
  adjective
• unsanctioned
  adjective
• well-sanctioned
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of sanctioned

sanction ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Explanation

If something’s sanctioned it’s officially approved. Now that your mom has finally come around, watching football with your friends on Sunday is a sanctioned ritual. When something’s sanctioned, it’s been approved by an authority, like your mom or your school, or it follows established rules or traditions. Eating ham on Easter might be a sanctioned tradition in your family. The word can also be used to say that something has been approved or authorized in a legal sense. You may read about a sanctioned treaty that has been signed by all members of the United Nations.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sanctioned

Some customers who were initially denied refunds told the Journal that when they tried to contest the decisions through the company’s only sanctioned avenue for legal disputes—private arbitration—they hit a wall.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026

Duna S.A., an import company, was sanctioned as well.

From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026

You might very well pay more than your married neighbor — a penalty sanctioned by the state and judiciary.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

Athena told us that children with special educational needs are "not routinely sanctioned for behaviours associated with their needs".

From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026

I went back to law school with an intense desire to understand the laws and doctrines that sanctioned the death penalty and extreme punishments.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

Related Words

• accepted
• allowed
• approved
• licensed
• permitted