approval

approval — noun

1. an official decision by a person or body in authority that lets a plan, request,

1.nounB2
Definition

an official decision by a person or body in authority that lets a plan, request, or document go ahead.

Example

The new bridge design needs approval from the city council before construction starts.

approval from + authority

Tomás is still waiting for his boss's approval to hire two more designers.

approval to + infinitive

Common collocations
  • seek approval
  • grant approval
  • pending approval
  • subject to approval
  • regulatory approval
Synonyms
  • authorization

    more formal; emphasises the legal right to act

  • consent

    stresses agreement of a person involved, often medical or legal

  • permission

    broader and more everyday; includes informal contexts

Antonyms
  • rejection

    the formal refusal of a plan or request

  • veto

    an official act of blocking a decision

Grammar Patterns

approval for + noun

approval to + infinitive

Usage Note

Subject of the approval is usually an institution, official, or person with authority. Distinguish from sense 2 (a personal feeling that someone or something is good) — sense 1 is a formal decision, often documented.

Common Mistakes

I gave my friend approval to borrow my car.
I gave my friend permission to borrow my car.
for casual personal contexts, use 'permission'; 'approval' carries an official tone.
The committee approval the new rule.
The committee approved the new rule.' / 'The committee gave approval for the new rule.
'approval' is a noun; the verb is 'approve'.

2. a personal feeling that you like or admire someone or something, often shown by

2.nounB2
Definition

a personal feeling that you like or admire someone or something, often shown by smiling, nodding, or speaking warmly.

Example

Grandma nodded with quiet approval as Diego cleared the dinner plates.

with approval — physical signal of liking

The painting won wide approval among the visitors at the small gallery.

win approval among + group

Common collocations
  • nod of approval
  • look of approval
  • win approval
  • seek approval
  • murmur of approval
Synonyms
  • admiration

    stronger; suggests deep respect, not just liking

  • endorsement

    more public and verbal; often by a known figure

  • praise

    active spoken expression rather than a quiet feeling

Antonyms
  • disapproval

    the feeling that someone or something is wrong or bad

  • criticism

    spoken or written judgement of faults

Grammar Patterns

approval of + noun

with approval

Usage Note

Often shown through facial expression, tone, or short comments rather than formal statements. Distinguish from sense 1 — sense 2 is emotional and personal; no authority is needed.

Common Mistakes

She looked her mother with approval.
She looked at her mother with approval.
'with approval' typically follows verbs like look, nod, smile, watch.
The crowd showed their approvals.
The crowd showed their approval.
uncountable in this sense; no plural.

3. the act of agreeing that an idea, plan, or choice is acceptable and worth going

3.nounB2
Definition

the act of agreeing that an idea, plan, or choice is acceptable and worth going ahead with.

Example

The new holiday schedule met with approval from almost every team in the office.

meet with approval from + group

Xander gave his approval to the menu after tasting each dish in the kitchen.

give approval to + noun

Common collocations
  • meet with approval
  • give one's approval
  • win approval
  • full approval
  • popular approval
Synonyms
  • agreement

    more general; covers any matching opinion

  • support

    stresses active backing rather than passive acceptance

  • blessing

    informal; suggests warm, friendly approval

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

meet with approval

give one's approval to + noun

Usage Note

Differs from sense 1: this is informal agreement that an idea is fine, not an authority's official decision. Differs from sense 2: focuses on a plan or choice rather than a person or quality.

Common Mistakes

The idea met approval from the staff.
The idea met with approval from the staff.
'meet with approval' is the fixed phrase.
He gave his approval for the menu.
He gave his approval to the menu.
use 'to', not 'for', after 'give one's approval'.
Idioms

on approval

idiom

describing goods that you can take home and try, returning them without paying if they do not suit you.

The shop let Aunt Rosa take the leather sofa home on approval for two weeks.

Many small bookshops still send rare titles to regular customers on approval.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words involve someone allowing an action, but the tone and source differ. 'Approval' suggests a formal decision by a body in authority, often after review — boards, governments, or committees give approval. 'Permission' is the broadest and most everyday: a parent, teacher, or boss can give it, and it can be informal. 'Authorization' stresses the legal or written right to act, often through paperwork or a system, as in 'authorization to enter the building'. 'Consent' centres on the willing agreement of the person directly affected, especially in medical or legal settings — patients give consent to surgery; participants give consent before a study. Compare: 'The minister gave approval for the road' (formal review), 'My mum gave me permission to stay out late' (everyday allowance), 'Patients must sign a consent form before treatment' (personal agreement).

approval ↗permission ↗authorizationconsent ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • meet with approval
  • subject to approval
  • pending approval
  • win approval
  • seek approval

Prepositions

  • approval for
  • approval from
  • approval of
  • approval to
  • with approval
  • without approval

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

'Approval' entered English in the late 1400s, built from the verb 'approve' plus the noun-forming ending '-al'. 'Approve' came through Old French 'aprover' from Latin 'approbare', meaning 'to assent to as good', formed from 'ad-' (to) and 'probare' (to test or prove). The original sense was about judging something to be good; the modern senses of formal permission and personal liking grew from that root over the following centuries.