SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
sanction
noun
Official authorization; also a penalty used to enforce a rule.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Official permission
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topIn this sense, sanction authorizes an action. Ratification confirms an agreement or decision, while backing may be informal support.
Penalty for noncompliance
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topA sanction in this sense penalizes or pressures someone to comply. A fine, restriction, or embargo is a particular type, not a substitute in every setting.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See sanction in use
The event needed the committee's sanction before invitations could be sent.
Another workshop committed an infringement by displaying a member's work after permission had expressly been refused. The board's sanction for that violation was exclusion from the next exhibition, a penalty rather than an approval.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license