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
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to consent or agree to.
Father approved our plan to visit Chicago.
-
to confirm or sanction formally; ratify.
The Senate promptly approved the bill.
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Obsolete.
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to demonstrate; show.
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to make good; attest.
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to prove by trial.
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to convict.
-
verb (used without object)
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approves,
present (3rd person singular)
-
approved,
past participle, past
-
approving
present participle
verb
-
to consider fair, good, or right; commend (a person or thing)
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(tr) to authorize or sanction
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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
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approvednessnoun
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preapprovverb
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reapproveverb
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nonapprovedadjective
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self-approvedadjective
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self-approvingadjective
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unapprovedadjective
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unapprovingadjective
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well-approvedadjective
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approvedlyadverb
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approvinglyadverb
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unapprovinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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approvesimple
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approvessimple
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have approvedperfect
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has approvedperfect
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am approvingprogressive
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are approvingprogressive
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is approvingprogressive
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have been approvingperfect progressive
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has been approvingperfect progressive
Past
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approvedsimple
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had approvedperfect
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was approvingprogressive
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were approvingprogressive
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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
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for August 21–August 27, 2021
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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:
“Sand on the beaches is the solution,” Foley said, urging the commission to approve the permit to ensure the sand replenishment project could move forward.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026
The state’s Supreme Court must approve the resentencing for those with more than one conviction.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026
Under a California law governing clemency, the California Supreme Court has to approve the commutations of any of the 548 people with multiple felony convictions.
From Slate ● Nov. 5, 2026
An all-cash offer amounts to magic words for sellers, who get access to cash without any holdups, such as having to wait for underwriting to approve the buyer’s mortgage application.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 5, 2026
I approve of anything that will make it harder for the Americans to take Cleo away.
From "The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra's Needle" by Dan Gutman
"No one approves" of the letter, Neto said as he left the meeting, adding that the party needed to "move forward."
From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026
The council simply approves the application - it does not have to pay for it.
From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2026
The State Department vets applicants and approves sponsors.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
“Our local police department further reviews and approves each stop on the map to ensure everyone’s safety.”
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 24, 2026
From what Theo tells Vincent about Meijer de Haan, and from seeing photographs of his drawings and paintings, Vincent approves.
From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman
With about 80 percent of ballots counted Friday, approximately 57 percent of voters approved the measure while 43 percent opted against it, and opponents conceded defeat.
From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2026
“Too bad the Senate has not yet approved the Sunshine Protection Act or, the I Don’t Want to Change My Clocks Anymore Act,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026
Moderna did not share sales figures for mFlusiva or its RSV vaccine, which was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2024.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 6, 2026
Bédar's emergency plan was last approved in 2019, and regional officials say it was in the process of being updated.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
“Every particular detail of these operations was known and approved by the highest authorities in Washington.”
From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin
For now, while exploration is ongoing into whether approving the vaccine to younger populations is warranted, doctors recommend paying close attention to any itchy patches, even areas of skin with no visible rash.
From Slate ● Nov. 1, 2026
The free-to-attend college was first proposed in 2023 with the Department for Education later approving the plans.
From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2026
Looking back now, approving the deal to bring Yelich to Milwaukee might seem like an easy decision.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
But a vote Tuesday approving that transition sidestepped a battle between the county and City of Los Angeles over other federally-mandated duties long performed by LAHSA.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 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
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
