approve

approve — verb

1. to give official permission or formal agreement for a plan, request, document, o

1.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to give official permission or formal agreement for a plan, request, document, or product, so that it can move forward or be used.

Example

The city council approved the new park near Maple Street last Tuesday.

approve + concrete proposal noun

Mrs. Lin's bank loan was approved within three working days.

passive: be approved (formal contexts)

Common collocations
  • formally approve
  • unanimously approve
  • officially approve
  • approve a plan
  • approve a loan
  • approve a budget
Synonyms
  • authorize

    more formal; emphasises giving someone the right to act

  • endorse

    stresses public, written backing rather than just permission

  • sanction

    formal/legal; can sound bureaucratic

  • ratify

    very formal; used for treaties, contracts, constitutions

Antonyms
  • reject

    the most common opposite for plans, requests, applications

  • veto

    stronger; one authority blocks something the others wanted

Grammar Patterns

approve + noun (plan, request, budget, drug)

Usage Note

Subject is usually an institution, committee, or person with authority (a board, a manager, a court). The object is a thing being permitted (plan, loan, budget, drug). Distinguish from sense 2: this sense never takes 'of' before its object.

Common Mistakes

The manager approved of my request for time off.
The manager approved my request for time off.
when giving official permission, use 'approve' directly with no preposition.
The council was approved the new road plan.
The council approved the new road plan.
only use the passive when the thing being permitted is the subject.

2. to feel that someone or something is good, right, or suitable, often in a person

2.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

to feel that someone or something is good, right, or suitable, often in a personal or moral way; used with 'of' before the thing or person you have a good feeling about.

Example

Olu's parents do not approve of her boyfriend's loud motorcycle.

approve of + noun (personal opinion)

Most teachers approve of giving students short breaks during long classes.

approve of + -ing (gerund)

Common collocations
  • strongly approve of
  • wholeheartedly approve of
  • secretly approve of
  • approve of someone's behaviour
  • not approve of
Synonyms
  • support

    broader; can include active help, not just feeling

  • favour

    prefer one option over another; less moral tone

  • agree with

    informal; for ideas or actions you think are right

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

approve of + noun / -ing

Usage Note

Always followed by 'of' plus a noun or -ing form; never takes a direct object. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is about a personal feeling or moral judgement, not official power, so it cannot replace sense 1 in a sentence like 'The board approved the budget.'

Common Mistakes

My grandmother doesn't approve my new haircut.
My grandmother doesn't approve of my new haircut.
for personal opinion, you must include 'of' before the thing.
She approves of buy a second-hand car.
She approves of buying a second-hand car.
after 'approve of', use the -ing form, not the bare verb.
I approve of the proposal at the meeting yesterday.
I approved the proposal at the meeting yesterday.
when you have authority and gave permission, drop the 'of'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All five verbs describe giving formal agreement, but they differ in who acts and how strong the act is. 'Approve' is the everyday choice — a manager approves a leave request, a council approves a budget. 'Authorize' shifts the focus to giving someone the right to act: a doctor authorizes a nurse to give the injection. 'Endorse' adds a public, often written show of support, like a senator endorsing a candidate. 'Ratify' is reserved for formal documents already agreed by negotiators — parliaments ratify treaties, members ratify a contract. 'Sanction' is the most bureaucratic and can sound cold; a regulator sanctions a new procedure. So you 'approve' a colleague's report, but parliaments 'ratify' the treaty their ministers signed.

approve ↗authorize ↗endorse ↗ratifysanction ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • approve in principle
  • subject to approval
  • pending approval

Prepositions

  • of (sense 2: approve of something/someone)
  • for (be approved for use)
  • by (be approved by an authority)

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

Borrowed in the 14th century from Old French 'aprover' (modern French 'approuver'), which came from Latin 'approbare' — built from 'ad-' (to, toward) plus 'probare' (to test, to prove good). The earliest English uses meant 'to demonstrate or prove,' but the meaning shifted to 'judge favourably' and then 'give official permission,' reflecting how something tested and found good is then formally accepted.