Synonyms Examples Word Origin
See more synonyms for sanction on Thesaurus.com authoritative permission or approval, as for an action. something that serves to support an action, condition, etc. something that gives binding force, as to an oath, rule of conduct, etc. Law a provision of a law enacting a penalty for disobedience or a reward for obedience. the penalty or reward. International Law action by one or more states toward another state calculated to force it to comply with legal obligations. Show More
to authorize, approve, or allow: an expression now sanctioned by educated usage. to ratify or confirm: to sanction a law. to impose a sanction on; penalize, especially by way of discipline. Show More
Origin of sanction 1555–65; <
Latin sānctiōn- (stem of
sānctiō ), equivalent to
sānct(us ) (past participle of
sancīre to prescribe by law) +
-iōn- -ion Related forms sanc·tion·a·ble , adjective sanc·tion·a·tive , adjective sanc·tion·er , noun sanc·tion·less , adjective non·sanc·tion , noun non·sanc·tioned , adjective qua·si-sanc·tioned , adjective re·sanc·tion , verb (used with object) su·per·sanc·tion , verb (used with object), noun un·sanc·tion·a·ble , adjective un·sanc·tioned , adjective un·sanc·tion·ing , adjective well-sanc·tioned , adjective Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for sanctioned Contemporary Examples of sanctioned The Moscow protest was not sanctioned , which meant every participant risked arrest.
Before Cuba was shunned and sanctioned , it was a handy place for the randy.
In FDA sanctioned studies using MDMA-assisted therapy to treat veterans with PTSD, the success rate has been astounding.
But in federal court, if you pursue an “objectively baseless” claim, you can be sanctioned by the court (PDF) under Rule 11.
Cardin said Tuesday he was not sure yet if Bastrykin was sanctioned secretly by the administration.
Historical Examples of sanctioned If his accession had seemed even a likely thing at the time, it would not have been sanctioned .
Some of the most flagrant of these, if not encouraged, have at least been sanctioned by the whites.
They were sanctioned by the authority of heaven, and it was deemed impiety to alter them.
How could anything that was wrong be sanctioned by the gods?
Its publication we may be sure would never have been sanctioned by Johnson.
British Dictionary definitions for sanctioned final permission; authorization aid or encouragement something, such as an ethical principle, that imparts binding force to a rule, oath, etc the penalty laid down in a law for contravention of its provisions (often plural) a coercive measure, esp one taken by one or more states against another guilty of violating international law Show More
to give authority to; permit to make authorized; confirm Show More
Derived Forms sanctionable , adjective sanctioner , noun sanctionless , adjective Word Origin for sanction C16: from Latin sanctiō the establishment of an inviolable decree, from sancīre to decree
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for sanctioned n. early 15c., "confirmation or enactment of a law," from Latin sanctionem (nominative sanctio ) "act of decreeing or ordaining," also "decree, ordinance," noun of action from past participle stem of sancire "to decree, confirm, ratify, make sacred" (see saint (n.)). Originally especially of ecclesiastical decrees.
Show More
v. 1778, "confirm by sanction, make valid or binding;" 1797 as "to permit authoritatively;" from sanction (n.). Seemingly contradictory meaning "impose a penalty on" is from 1956 but is rooted in an old legalistic sense of the noun. Related: Sanctioned ; sanctioning .
Show More
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
