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Synonyms

unsanctioned

British  
/ ʌnˈsæŋkʃənd /

adjective

  1. not having been given permission or authorization

"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

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.

The sanctioned 12, behind the fence, another six, or 10, in the unsanctioned zone.

From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026

He and Meghan are vigilant about personal security and keeping their children away from unsanctioned cameras, whether wielded by professionals or their own neighbors.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

The KnuckleHeadz achieved a moment of internet fame after hosting a completely unsanctioned show in an unsuspecting McDonald’s for a hundred people.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 17, 2025

Hundreds of people showed up to the unsanctioned event in October 2024, which didn’t just become the talk of the daily news, but created an ongoing celebrity lookalike phenomenon.

From Salon • Jan. 28, 2025

But the unprovoked and unsanctioned movement enraged the guard.

From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers

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.