approve
Americanverb (used with object)
-
approves,
present (3rd person singular)
-
approved,
past participle, past
-
approving
present participle
-
to speak or think favorably of; pronounce or consider agreeable or good; judge favorably.
to approve the policies of the administration.
- Synonyms:
- esteem, appreciate
-
to consent or agree to.
Father approved our plan to visit Chicago.
-
to confirm or sanction formally; ratify.
The Senate promptly approved the bill.
-
Obsolete.
-
to demonstrate; show.
-
to make good; attest.
-
to prove by trial.
-
to convict.
-
verb (used without object)
-
approves,
present (3rd person singular)
-
approved,
past participle, past
-
approving
present participle
verb
-
to consider fair, good, or right; commend (a person or thing)
-
(tr) to authorize or sanction
-
obsolete (tr) to demonstrate or prove by trial
verb
Synonym Usage
Approve, commend, praise mean to have, and usually to express, a favorable opinion. To approve is to have a very good opinion, expressed or not, of someone or something: He approved the new plan. To commend is to speak or write approvingly, often formally and publicly, to congratulate or honor for something done: to commend a worker for a job well done. To praise is to speak or write, often in glowing and emotional terms, about one or more persons, actions, plans, etc.: to praise someone's courage.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
approvednessnoun
-
preapprovverb
-
reapproveverb
-
nonapprovedadjective
-
self-approvedadjective
-
self-approvingadjective
-
unapprovedadjective
-
unapprovingadjective
-
well-approvedadjective
-
approvedlyadverb
-
approvinglyadverb
-
unapprovinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
approvesimple
-
approvessimple
-
have approvedperfect
-
has approvedperfect
-
am approvingprogressive
-
are approvingprogressive
-
is approvingprogressive
-
have been approvingperfect progressive
-
has been approvingperfect progressive
Past
-
approvedsimple
-
had approvedperfect
-
was approvingprogressive
-
were approvingprogressive
-
had been approvingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of approve
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English a(p)proven, from Anglo-French, Old French aprover, from Latin approbāre, equivalent to ap- ap- 1 + probāre “to prove ”
Explanation
When you take your new love to meet your parents, you hope that they approve of your choice in partners, but when your date starts eating with his hands at dinner, chances are pretty slim. Approve was first used like to mean "prove" or "show"––think, "The proof is in the pudding." Now, approve means to officially agree. You might need the principal to sign off on, or approve, any purchase of new materials for the classroom. Congress can also approve a bill or budget in this way. It’s important to remember that, like apple and appropriate, approve is spelled with a double “p.”
Vocabulary lists containing approve
List 7
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for August 21–August 27, 2021
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for October 1–October 7, 2022
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Councillors meeting next week have been asked to approve the draft guidance, external.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
After weeks of behind-the-scenes wrangling, the Public Utilities Commission voted unanimously to approve two settlement agreements with Charter that allowed the merger to move forward.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
The environmental and social impact studies required to approve the project have not yet been submitted, the Greenland government has noted.
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
If he withdraws by Monday, though, local Republican officials in his district could approve a new nominee.
From Slate ● Aug. 8, 2026
“How provoking you are! I don’t approve of cigars and I will only allow it on condition that you let me put you into my sketch. I need a figure.”
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
The emergency application comes one week after an appeals court ordered construction to stop until Congress approves, upholding a ruling won by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which sued the administration last year.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
Instead, the unusual move would leave Ambassador Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti residing in the country without a valid visa, which the U.S. will restore if Brazil approves Perez, the official said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
If the full council approves the measure, the city’s Department of Transportation will have 30 days to report back with recommendations.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
Measure gravity by the statute’s subject matter rather than the defendant’s conduct and proportionality review approves everything.
From Slate ● Jul. 28, 2026
On average, the United States approves one million applicants annually as permanent residents.
From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi
Whether Washington would have approved of Trump’s ballroom is impossible to know.
From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026
Lighthouse Island is protected by the bird observatory and can only be accessed on an approved charter boat.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
The OCC, led by Jonathan Gould, has approved the launch of several crypto-focused trust banks, granting them broader access to the traditional financial system.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
The vaccine was considered fully approved for those ages 50 to 64.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
In the first years of colonization, English became the only language approved for use in school, work, or public buildings.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
Steel, which he acquired after approving the company’s acquisition by Nippon Steel in June 2025.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
Note: Net approval is share approving minus disapproving.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
The vulnerable names are regulated utilities whose growth plans depend on regulators and voters approving higher household bills while the company builds for Big Tech.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
The proposal, which will likely be finalized later this year, outlines a set of factors for employers to consider before approving investments.
From Salon ● Jul. 9, 2026
The building was a private venture: Burnham had nothing to do with its construction beyond approving its design.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
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.
