disapproval

disapproval — noun

1. a negative feeling toward someone or something that comes from thinking they are

1.nounB2
Definition

a negative feeling toward someone or something that comes from thinking they are wrong, bad, or not suitable

Example

Sora felt a deep sense of disapproval when his brother lied to their parents.

collocation: feel / sense of disapproval

Jenna's disapproval of the plan was clear from the way she frowned.

disapproval of [something] — preposition pattern

Common collocations
  • feel disapproval
  • hide one's disapproval
  • sense of disapproval
  • strong disapproval
  • deep disapproval
Synonyms
  • displeasure

    milder; more about annoyance or dissatisfaction than moral judgment

  • disfavour

    slightly more formal and common in British English; often in official contexts

  • objection

    more specific; names a particular reason or point of opposition

Antonyms
  • approval

    the opposite feeling of acceptance or agreement

Grammar Patterns

disapproval + of + noun phrase

possessive + disapproval + of + noun

Usage Note

Frequently appears with possessive determiners (his disapproval, their disapproval) and the preposition 'of' to specify the target: disapproval of an idea, a person, or a behaviour.

Common Mistakes

I felt a strong disapproval to his suggestion.
I felt a strong disapproval of his suggestion.
The correct preposition after disapproval is 'of', not 'to'.

2. words, actions, or looks that show a belief about someone or something being wro

2.nounB2
Definition

words, actions, or looks that show a belief about someone or something being wrong or unacceptable

Example

Heloísa expressed her disapproval by shaking her head slowly during the meeting.

express disapproval by + gerund phrase

The council's disapproval of the building project came in a formal letter last week.

formal/official context: in a formal letter

Common collocations
  • express disapproval
  • voice disapproval
  • show disapproval
  • face disapproval
  • signal disapproval
Synonyms
  • criticism

    focuses on pointing out faults or flaws; can be constructive or detailed

  • condemnation

    much stronger; implies harsh public judgment, often on moral grounds

  • censure

    formal, official disapproval issued by an authority or institution

Antonyms
  • praise

    positive expression of approval or admiration

  • approval

    expression of agreement or acceptance

Grammar Patterns

express + disapproval + of + noun

show + disapproval + by + gerund

face + disapproval + when + clause

Usage Note

Commonly paired with verbs of expression (show, voice, express, signal). Unlike sense 1, which focuses on the internal feeling, this sense emphasises the outward communication of that feeling through words, gestures, or official statements.

Common Mistakes

She expressed her disapproval about the new policy.
She expressed her disapproval of the new policy.
'Disapproval' takes 'of', not 'about'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe a negative reaction to something, but they differ in strength, focus, and context. Disapproval is the broadest term — a general feeling that something is wrong or unacceptable. Displeasure is milder and more about annoyance or dissatisfaction than moral judgment; you feel displeasure at bad service, not at a wrongdoing. Objection is more specific: it names a particular reason for opposing something and is common in meetings and legal settings. Criticism focuses on pointing out faults and can be constructive, whereas condemnation is the strongest — a harsh, public declaration that something is morally wrong. For example: a parent feels disapproval of a child's behaviour, a committee raises an objection to a proposal, a film critic offers criticism of a movie, and a government issues a condemnation of human rights abuses.

displeasure ↗objection ↗criticism ↗condemnation

Common collocations

Nouns

  • feeling of
  • look of
  • expression of

Adverbs

Phrases

  • in disapproval
  • with disapproval

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Formed in English around the early 1600s by adding the suffix '-al' to 'disapprove'. 'Disapprove' comes from the French 'désapprouver', which in turn traces back to the Latin prefix 'dis-' (meaning 'apart, away, not') and 'approbare' (to approve, from 'ad-' + 'probare' — to test or prove). The word originally carried a stronger sense of formal rejection before settling into the more general meaning of a negative opinion or feeling.