Sanction Definition

săngkshən
sanctioned, sanctioning, sanctions
noun
sanctions
The act of a recognized authority confirming or ratifying an action; authorized approval or permission.
Webster's New World
Support; encouragement; approval.
Webster's New World
Something that gives binding force to a law, or secures obedience to it, as the penalty for breaking it, or a reward for carrying it out.
Webster's New World
Something, as a moral principle or influence, that makes a rule of conduct, a law, etc. binding.
Webster's New World
A penalty, specified or in the form of moral pressure, that acts to ensure compliance with a social standard or norm.
American Heritage
verb
sanctioned, sanctioning, sanctions
To give sanction to.
Webster's New World
To encourage or tolerate by indicating approval.
His colleagues sanctioned his new research.
American Heritage
To penalize, as for violating a moral principle or international law.
American Heritage
To give official authorization or approval to.
Voting rights that are sanctioned by law.
American Heritage
To encourage or tolerate by indicating approval.
His colleagues sanctioned his new research.
American Heritage

Other Word Forms of Sanction

Noun

Singular:
sanction
Plural:
sanctions

Origin of Sanction

  • Middle English enactment of a law from Old French ecclesiastical decree from Latin sānctiō sānctiōn- binding law, penal sanction from sānctus holy sanctify

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Middle English enactment of a law from Old French ecclesiastical decree from Latin sānctiō sānctiōn- binding law, penal sanction from sānctus holy sanctify

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From French sanction.

    From Wiktionary

Find Similar Words

Find similar words to sanction using the buttons below.

Words Starting With

Words Ending With

Unscrambles

sanction