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YOUR VOCABULARY, ONE WORD AT A TIME

sanction

Noun

IPA /ˈsæŋkʃn/

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Meaning in plain English

Official permission or approval for an action.

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Pronunciation

sanction/ˈsæŋkʃn/

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  1. A project is proposed

  2. The director gives approval

  3. Work is permitted to begin

Sanction here means official approval, rather than a penalty or restriction.

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  1. The street party went ahead with the council's sanction.
  2. The project required the director's sanction before work could begin.

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The street party went ahead with the council's ________.
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sanction — Official permission or approval for an action.

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Official permission or approval for an action.

Compare: The street party went ahead with the council's sanction.

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Word origin

From French and Latin sanctio, related to sancire, meaning to ratify.

Did you know?

Sanction has contrasting uses: official approval, but also a penalty or restriction in another sense.

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sanction

/ˈsæŋkʃn/ (Noun)

“Formal. Here sanction is uncountable approval; sanctions in the plural often refers to penalties or restrictions.”

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