sanction
Americannoun
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authoritative permission or approval, as for an action.
- Synonyms:
- authorization
- Antonyms:
- prohibition, interdiction
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something that serves to support an action, condition, etc.
-
something that gives binding force, as to an oath, rule of conduct, etc.
-
Law.
-
a provision of a law enacting a penalty for disobedience or a reward for obedience.
-
the penalty or reward.
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International Law. action by one or more states toward another state calculated to force it to comply with legal obligations.
noun
-
final permission; authorization
-
aid or encouragement
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something, such as an ethical principle, that imparts binding force to a rule, oath, etc
-
the penalty laid down in a law for contravention of its provisions
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(often plural) a coercive measure, esp one taken by one or more states against another guilty of violating international law
verb
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to give authority to; permit
-
to make authorized; confirm
Usage
What does sanction mean? Sanction has two main senses that are almost opposites: it can refer to authorizing or approving something, or to penalizing or disciplining someone or something.Sanction can be used as a verb (meaning to authorize or to penalize) or a noun (meaning approval or penalty). It is most commonly used in official contexts. As a noun referring to a penalty, it is especially applied to situations in which one country’s government imposes economic sanctions on another to try to force it to comply with laws or certain expectations.Example: Economic sanctions are intended to force regimes to play by the rules, but they often end up hurting the average citizen.
Other Word Forms
- nonsanction noun
- resanction verb (used with object)
- sanctionable adjective
- sanctionative adjective
- sanctioner noun
- sanctionless adjective
- supersanction verb (used with object)
- unsanctionable adjective
- unsanctioning adjective
Etymology
Origin of sanction
First recorded in 1555–65; from Latin sānctiōn- (stem of sānctiō ), equivalent to sānct(us) (past participle of sancīre “to prescribe by law”) + -iōn- noun suffix; -ion
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Belgian defence ministry said the seized tanker was on the European Union's sanctions list.
From Barron's
“Of the civil lawsuits filed by Wigdor, one has been dismissed, the other withdrawn and the Jane Doe case is currently facing motion for case terminating sanctions.”
But in 2024, Venezuela produced only about one percent of global crude, its industry left haggard by years of underinvestment, mismanagement and US sanctions.
From Barron's
He spearheaded the concept of “secondary sanctions” to penalize even non-U.S. firms for doing business with the regime, angering Europe.
"The EU has adopted strong sanctions against Iran and supported diplomatic solutions, including on the nuclear issue," she said in a statement on X, adding she has spoken to Israel's and other regional foreign ministers.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
