as in permission
the approval by someone in authority for the doing of something
you cannot make a student video without your faculty advisor's sanction of its subject matter prior to shooting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to approve
to give official acceptance of as satisfactory
the administration will sanction almost any field trip with educational value
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sanction
Alex Saric, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Rwandan President Paul Kagame said US sanctions imposed on his military will not alter Kigali’s stance over eastern DR Congo, dismissing the restrictions as a cost of pursuing national interests.
—Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 15 May 2026
Mohamed Suliman, Boston Herald, 15 May 2026
Over the nine years PSR was in operation in the EFL, several clubs were sanctioned for breaching that threshold, with Birmingham City, Derby County, Leicester City, Reading and Sheffield Wednesday all receiving points-deductions.
—Matt Slater, New York Times, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sanction
Noun
The same applies to tariffs, sanctions, export controls and regional conflict.
—Alex Saric, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Rwandan President Paul Kagame said US sanctions imposed on his military will not alter Kigali’s stance over eastern DR Congo, dismissing the restrictions as a cost of pursuing national interests.
—Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 15 May 2026
Verb
In a similar case, an attorney was sanctioned for misusing AI and relying on inaccurate and fabricated legal citations.
—Mohamed Suliman, Boston Herald, 15 May 2026
Over the nine years PSR was in operation in the EFL, several clubs were sanctioned for breaching that threshold, with Birmingham City, Derby County, Leicester City, Reading and Sheffield Wednesday all receiving points-deductions.
—Matt Slater, New York Times, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sanction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sanction
Noun
-
The vessel had been stranded off its intended final destination, Cape Verde in West Africa, after authorities denied it permission to dock there.—
Patrick Smith,
NBC news,
18 May 2026
-
Would doctors have withheld a relatively minor procedure that would prevent imminent death of a young adult with (potentially) a full life ahead because the proxy refused to give permission?—
Adam W. Gaffney,
STAT,
18 May 2026
Verb
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The move made Arctos the only firm approved to invest in all five major American men’s leagues.—
Kurt Badenhausen,
Sportico.com,
20 May 2026
-
Senators approved a motion to discharge the resolution from committee in a 50 to 47 vote.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
20 May 2026
Noun
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As a result, many analysts want an update on Nvidia's plans to return some of it to investors — perhaps via a dividend boost or a major increase in its share repurchase authorization.—
Zev Fima,Kevin Stankiewicz,
CNBC,
17 May 2026
-
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in April initially said the US would not renew the sanctions waiver allowing purchases of some Russian crude before ultimately issuing a new authorization two days later.—
Jennifer A. Dlouhy,
Fortune,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
The agreement is still being ratified by members of the unions.—
Elijah Westbrook,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
-
The Fourteenth Amendment, ratified 11 years after Dred Scott, was drafted to repudiate that decision and to prevent the creation of a hereditary class of noncitizens within the United States.—
Jeff Ballou,
ABC News,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
The statement contains a variation of an argument used by Alameda County counsel, who have argued in court that the recording could only have been made with both parties’ consent.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
18 May 2026
-
Thou shalt receive consent before making changes to the chat.—
Sam Reed,
Glamour,
18 May 2026
Noun
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But, as is often the case with these kinds of monkey’s paws, the granting of a wish comes at a great cost—the wishmaker’s life.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
24 Apr. 2026
-
In this age of excess and endless wish granting, self denial becomes a superpower and a necessity.—
Maggie Anders,
Oc Register,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sanction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sanction. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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