v., -proved, -prov·ing, -proves. v.tr.
- To consider right or good; think or speak favorably of.
- To consent to officially or formally; confirm or sanction: The Senate approved the treaty.
- Obsolete. To prove or attest.
To show, feel, or express approval: didn't approve of the decision.
[Middle English approven, from Old French aprover, from Latin approbāre : ad-, ad- + probāre, to test (from probus, good).]
approvable ap·prov'a·ble adj.approvingly ap·prov'ing·ly adv.
SYNONYMS approve, endorse, sanction, certify, accredit, ratify. These verbs mean to express a favorable opinion or to signify satisfaction or acceptance. Approve means to consider right or good, but it can also denote official consent: "The colonel or commanding officer approves the sentence of a regimental court-martial" (Charles James). Endorse implies the public expression of support: The senator endorsed the candidate by issuing a press release. Sanction usually implies official authorization: The privilege of voting is a right sanctioned by law. Certify and accredit imply official approval based on compliance with requirements or standards: "The proper officers, comparing every article with its voucher, certified them to be right" (Benjamin Franklin). The board of education will accredit only institutions that have a sufficiently rigorous curriculum. To ratify is to invest officially with legal authority: "Amendments . . . shall be valid . . . when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States" (U.S. Constitution, Article V).
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
