sanction

[ sangk-shuhn ]

/ ˈsæŋk ʃən /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR sanction ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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.

verb (used with object)

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.

QUIZZES

CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH THIS MIDDLE SCHOOL PART OF SPEECH QUIZ!

How well do you know your adjectives from your adverbs? Your preposition from your pronouns? Your interjections from your conjunctions? Let’s put your knowledge of parts of speech to the text! Note: Many of the following questions will ask you to identify the parts of speech “in order.” That means the first word in all capital letters will correspond to the first option in an answer, and so on.

Question 1 of 10

In order, what parts of speech are the words in all capital letters? Alisa was VERY tired, SO she decided to go to bed.

adverb, adverb

adverb, conjunction

adjective, conjunction

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of sanction

1555–65; < Latin sānctiōn- (stem of sānctiō), equivalent to sānct(us) (past participle of sancīre to prescribe by law) + -iōn- -ion

SYNONYMS FOR sanction

6 permit.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR sanction ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR sanction

1 disapproval.

6 disapprove.

SEE ANTONYMS FOR sanction ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM sanction

sanc·tion·a·ble, adjectivesanc·tion·a·tive, adjectivesanc·tion·er, nounsanc·tion·less, adjective

non·sanc·tion, nounnon·sanc·tioned, adjectivequa·si-sanc·tioned, adjectivere·sanc·tion, verb (used with object)su·per·sanc·tion, verb (used with object), nounun·sanc·tion·a·ble, adjectiveun·sanc·tioned, adjectiveun·sanc·tion·ing, adjectivewell-sanc·tioned, adjective

Words nearby sanction

sancho panza, sanctified, sanctify, sanctimonious, sanctimony, sanction, sanction mark, sanctitude, sanctity, sanctuary, sanctuary city

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for sanctioned

The Moscow protest was not sanctioned, which meant every participant risked arrest.
Russia’s Rebel In Chief Escapes House Arrest|Anna Nemtsova|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Before Cuba was shunned and sanctioned, it was a handy place for the randy.
Will Hyman Roth Return to Havana With Normalized Relations?|John L. Smith|December 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In FDA sanctioned studies using MDMA-assisted therapy to treat veterans with PTSD, the success rate has been astounding.
Psychedelics Are Ready for a Comeback|Abby Haglage|September 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But in federal court, if you pursue an “objectively baseless” claim, you can be sanctioned by the court (PDF) under Rule 11.
Obama Should Counter John Boehner’s Lawsuit—and Here’s How He Can Do It|Dean Obeidallah|July 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Cardin said Tuesday he was not sure yet if Bastrykin was sanctioned secretly by the administration.
Obama Targets Russian Mob Boss|Josh Rogin|May 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Cromwell must have sanctioned this, if he did not encourage it.
An Illustrated History of Ireland from AD 400 to 1800|Mary Frances Cusack
Judge for yourselves whether he sanctioned such a system of oppression and crime.
The Anti-Slavery Examiner, Omnibus|American Anti-Slavery Society
The engagement had been sanctioned officially by Mrs Bathurst.
The Pagan's Cup|Fergus Hume
Let these bachelor customs of yours be sanctioned as entirely suitable—then we should be able to join issue with you.
Three Comedies|Bjrnstjerne M. Bjrnson
This rule, then, is founded in the nature of things, and sanctioned by good usage.
English Grammar in Familiar Lectures|Samuel Kirkham

British Dictionary definitions for sanctioned

sanction

/ (ˈsæŋkʃən) /

noun

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

verb (tr)

to give authority to; permit

to make authorized; confirm

Derived forms of sanction

sanctionable, adjectivesanctioner, nounsanctionless, 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

sanction

noun

verb (used with object)

QUIZZES

CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH THIS MIDDLE SCHOOL PART OF SPEECH QUIZ!

Origin of sanction

SYNONYMS FOR sanction

ANTONYMS FOR sanction

OTHER WORDS FROM sanction

Words nearby sanction

Words related to sanctioned

Example sentences from the Web for sanctioned

British Dictionary definitions for sanctioned

noun

verb (tr)

Derived forms of sanction

Word Origin for sanction