SANCTION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does sanction mean? 

• SANCTION (noun)
  The noun SANCTION has 4 senses:

1. formal and explicit approval

2. a mechanism of social control for enforcing a society's standards

3. official permission or approval

4. the act of final authorization

  Familiarity information: SANCTION used as a noun is uncommon.

• SANCTION (verb)
  The verb SANCTION has 3 senses:

1. give sanction to

2. give authority or permission to

3. give religious sanction to, such as through on oath

  Familiarity information: SANCTION used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SANCTION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Formal and explicit approval

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

countenance; endorsement; imprimatur; indorsement; sanction; warrant

Context example:

a Democrat usually gets the union's endorsement

Hypernyms ("sanction" is a kind of...):

approval; commendation (a message expressing a favorable opinion)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "sanction"):

O.K.; OK; okay; okeh; okey (an endorsement)

visa (an endorsement made in a passport that allows the bearer to enter the country issuing it)

nihil obstat (the phrase used by the official censor of the Roman Catholic Church to say that a publication has been examined and contains nothing offensive to the church)

Derivation:

sanction (give sanction to)

sanction (give authority or permission to)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A mechanism of social control for enforcing a society's standards

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("sanction" is a kind of...):

social control (control exerted (actively or passively) by group action)

Derivation:

sanction (give religious sanction to, such as through on oath)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Official permission or approval

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

authorisation; authority; authorization; sanction

Context example:

authority for the program was renewed several times

Hypernyms ("sanction" is a kind of...):

permission (approval to do something)

Derivation:

sanction (give authority or permission to)

Sense 4

Meaning:

The act of final authorization

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

it had the sanction of the church

Hypernyms ("sanction" is a kind of...):

authorisation; authorization; empowerment (the act of conferring legality or sanction or formal warrant)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "sanction"):

benefit of clergy (sanction by a religious rite)

name (by the sanction or authority of)

nihil obstat (authoritative approval)

Derivation:

sanction (give authority or permission to)

• SANCTION (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they sanction    ... he / she / it sanctions   
Past simple: sanctioned   
Past participle: sanctioned   
-ing form: sanctioning   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Give sanction to

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

approve; O.K.; okay; sanction

Context example:

I approve of his educational policies

Hypernyms (to "sanction" is one way to...):

authorise; authorize; clear; pass (grant authorization or clearance for)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "sanction"):

sanction (give religious sanction to, such as through on oath)

visa (approve officially)

back; endorse; indorse; plump for; plunk for; support (be behind; approve of)

confirm (support a person for a position)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

sanction (formal and explicit approval)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Give authority or permission to

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "sanction" is one way to...):

authorise; authorize; empower (give or delegate power or authority to)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

sanction (the act of final authorization)

sanction (official permission or approval)

sanction (formal and explicit approval)

sanctionative (implying sanction or serving to sanction)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Give religious sanction to, such as through on oath

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

sanctify the marriage

Hypernyms (to "sanction" is one way to...):

approve; O.K.; okay; sanction (give sanction to)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

sanction (a mechanism of social control for enforcing a society's standards)

 Context examples 

I shall see that poor lad to-morrow evening, and, with his sanction, I shall use some.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Wolf that he was, and unprecedented as it was, the gods had sanctioned his presence, and they, the dogs of the gods, could only recognise this sanction.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

I will keep the law given by God; sanctioned by man.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Without his sanction I could not hope to be listened to again.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

But Ruth and love had stood the test; for them he found a biological sanction.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

The attitude that grants freedom of expression and activity to another individual, but not necessarily with sanction or approval.

(Permissiveness, Behavior, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

Sanctioned by established authority; having authority or ascendancy or influence; of recognized authority or excellence..

(Authoritative, NCI Thesaurus)

Kipchoge also set the current official world record for a sanctioned race, of 2 hours 1 minute 39 seconds, last year in Berlin, Germany.

(Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya runs marathon under two hours, Wikinews)

“You have read Darwin,” I said. “But you read him misunderstandingly when you conclude that the struggle for existence sanctions your wanton destruction of life.”

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

There was but one obstacle, in short, to be mentioned; but till that one was removed, it must be impossible for them to sanction the engagement.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)