sanction

C1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈsæŋkʃ(ə)n/ See IPA manual

Freq #21986

Meanings

1

noun
An official action taken to punish a country or group, such as a trade ban.

The government imposed economic sanctions on the regime.
2

noun
Official permission or approval for something.

The project went ahead with the sanction of the city council.
3

verb
To give official approval or permission for something.

The board sanctioned the new building plans.
4

verb
To punish a country or group by imposing sanctions.

Several nations agreed to sanction the country over the conflict.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · an official action taken to... penalty embargo punishment

2 noun · official permission or... authorization approval consent

More ban boycottestoppelinjunctioninterdictionpenalties proscription taboo

Opposites

allowance backing confirmation endorsement permission support

Word family

Forms sanctionedsanctioningsanctionsunsanctioned

Derived forms antisanctionantisanctionscountersanctioncybersanctionsnonsanctionnonsanctionedpresanctionpresanctionsresanctionsanctionabilitysanctionablesanctional

Related forms blacklistcondemnation prohibit

Simplified etymology

Sanction entered English in the late Middle English period, originally meaning an ecclesiastical decree. It comes from Latin sancire, a verb that could mean both “make holy” and “decree,” and is related to saint through the same sacred-word family.

Etymology

From Middle French sanction, from Latin sānctiō.

sanction Middle French sānctiō Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# sanction

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈsæŋkʃ(ə)n/
**Frequency rank:** 21986

## Meanings
1. An official action taken to punish a country or group, such as a trade ban.
2. Official permission or approval for something.
3. To give official approval or permission for something.
4. To punish a country or group by imposing sanctions.

## Examples
- The government imposed economic sanctions on the regime.
- The project went ahead with the sanction of the city council.
- The board sanctioned the new building plans.
- Several nations agreed to sanction the country over the conflict.

## Synonyms
- ban
- boycott
- embargo
- estoppel
- injunction
- interdiction
- penalties
- proscription
- taboo

## Antonyms
- allowance
- backing
- confirmation
- endorsement
- permission
- support

## Derived Forms
- antisanction
- antisanctions
- countersanction
- cybersanctions
- nonsanction
- nonsanctioned
- presanction
- presanctions
- resanction
- sanctionability
- sanctionable
- sanctional

## Related Forms
- blacklist
- condemnation
- prohibit

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: sanction
- Root: sānctiō

## Etymology
From Middle French sanction, from Latin sānctiō.

## AI Etymology
Sanction comes from Middle French sanction, from Latin sānctiō. The historical chain includes sanction (Middle French) and sānctiō (Latin). The surrounding word family includes derived forms such as antisanction, antisanctions, countersanction, and cybersanctions and related forms such as blacklist, condemnation, and prohibit. In present use it covers an official action taken to punish a country or group, such as a trade ban, official permission or approval for something, and to give official approval or permission for something.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

markdown