Sanction
noun
An official order, such as a law or rule, that allows or commands an action.
The company was given a sanction to begin construction on the new site.
Often appears as...
- give sanction
- withhold sanction
Usage tips
Formal
Academic
noun
A punishment or threat for disobeying a rule or law.
The government imposed economic sanctions on the country for human rights violations.
Often appears as...
- impose sanctions
- lift sanctions
Usage tips
Formal
Legal
verb
To officially accept or allow something.
The committee sanctioned the new policy after much debate.
Often appears as...
- sanction a policy
- sanction a decision
Usage tips
Formal
Academic
verb
To punish someone or something.
The school sanctioned the students for breaking the rules.
Often appears as...
- sanction a student
- sanction a country
Usage tips
Formal
Academic
noun
An official order, such as a law or rule, that allows or commands an action.
The company was given a sanction to begin construction on the new site.
Often appears as...
- give sanction
- withhold sanction
Usage tips
Formal
Academic
noun
A punishment or threat for disobeying a rule or law.
The government imposed economic sanctions on the country for human rights violations.
Often appears as...
- impose sanctions
- lift sanctions
Usage tips
Formal
Legal
verb
To officially accept or allow something.
The committee sanctioned the new policy after much debate.
Often appears as...
- sanction a policy
- sanction a decision
Usage tips
Formal
Academic
verb
To punish someone or something.
The school sanctioned the students for breaking the rules.
Often appears as...
- sanction a student
- sanction a country
Usage tips
Formal
Academic
Definition 1 of 4
Pro Tip 1/2Permission Context
Used when an authority formally allows an action. It's often seen in professional or academic settings.
The scientist needed a sanction from the ethics board for the study.
Pro Tip 2/2Governmental Approval
Common in bureaucratic processes where an action needs official government consent.
Before drilling, the company requires a sanction from the government.
Pro Tip 1/2Permission Context
Used when an authority formally allows an action. It's often seen in professional or academic settings.
The scientist needed a sanction from the ethics board for the study.
Pro Tip 2/2Governmental Approval
Common in bureaucratic processes where an action needs official government consent.
Before drilling, the company requires a sanction from the government.
Pro Tip 1/2Permission Context
Used when an authority formally allows an action. It's often seen in professional or academic settings.
The scientist needed a sanction from the ethics board for the study.
Pro Tip 2/2Governmental Approval
Common in bureaucratic processes where an action needs official government consent.
Before drilling, the company requires a sanction from the government.
Compare with
approvalauthorizationconfirmationconsentendorseimprimaturlicensepermissionratification
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Video examples
Thomas Piketty: New...
many people would have said that progressive income taxation would never happen and then it happened. And even five years ago, many people would have said that bank secrecy will be with us forever in Switzerland, that Switzerland was too powerful for the rest of the world, and then suddenly it took a few U.S. sanctions
Video examples
How to spot a liar PIPE...
sometimes for very good reasons, other times just because we don't understand the gaps in our lives. That's truth number two about lying. We're against lying, but we're covertly for it in ways that our society has sanctioned for centuries and centuries and centuries. It's as old as breathing.
Video examples
Richard Ledgett: The NSA...
find connections that people are trying to hide. So when a terrorist is corresponding with somebody else who's not known to us but is engaged in doing or supporting terrorist activity, or someone who's violating international sanctions by providing nuclear weapons-related material
Video examples
Bruce Bueno de Mesquita...
and we could get there a lot sooner, and you would suffer a lot less trouble from economic sanctions, and we would suffer a lot less fear of the use of military force on our end, and the world would be a better place. Here's hoping they hear it that way. Thank you very much Bruce.
Video examples
Halloween History PIPE...
century the Vatican began to merge it with a church sanctioned holiday so November 1st was designated All Saints Day to honor martyrs and the deceased faithful both of these holidays had to do with the afterlife and about survival after death it was a calculated move on
Video examples
Sex Change Surgery PIPE...
relationship but the main reason falfa Feeney are not considered taboo is because society sanctions their very existence by deciding their child lives as a father Feeney a family gives them a place and a role in the all-important
Video examples
When did humans start...
where someone could divorce their spouse without proving harm, and importantly, without the other’s consent. The transition from cultural and religious rules to state sanctioned ones has always been messy and incomplete—
Video examples
How I'm Working for...
that said no female could be on a leadership board, not one woman could have a decision-making authority, not one woman could handle any financial matter, we would have outrage. There would be sanctions.
Video examples
Why you should be a...
There is no intention for them to change the game. There is no country in the world where either companies or political powers are sanctioned for wrecking the climate.
Video examples
The challenges of being...
he was delisted from al-qaeda sanction list the UN couldn't find anything against him that wise peaceful man spoke to that little girl inside me and told
Video examples
Thomas Piketty: New...
many people would have said that progressive income taxation would never happen and then it happened. And even five years ago, many people would have said that bank secrecy will be with us forever in Switzerland, that Switzerland was too powerful for the rest of the world, and then suddenly it took a few U.S. sanctions
Video examples
How to spot a liar PIPE...
sometimes for very good reasons, other times just because we don't understand the gaps in our lives. That's truth number two about lying. We're against lying, but we're covertly for it in ways that our society has sanctioned for centuries and centuries and centuries. It's as old as breathing.
Video examples
Richard Ledgett: The NSA...
find connections that people are trying to hide. So when a terrorist is corresponding with somebody else who's not known to us but is engaged in doing or supporting terrorist activity, or someone who's violating international sanctions by providing nuclear weapons-related material
Video examples
Bruce Bueno de Mesquita...
and we could get there a lot sooner, and you would suffer a lot less trouble from economic sanctions, and we would suffer a lot less fear of the use of military force on our end, and the world would be a better place. Here's hoping they hear it that way. Thank you very much Bruce.
Video examples
Halloween History PIPE...
century the Vatican began to merge it with a church sanctioned holiday so November 1st was designated All Saints Day to honor martyrs and the deceased faithful both of these holidays had to do with the afterlife and about survival after death it was a calculated move on
Video examples
Sex Change Surgery PIPE...
relationship but the main reason falfa Feeney are not considered taboo is because society sanctions their very existence by deciding their child lives as a father Feeney a family gives them a place and a role in the all-important
Video examples
When did humans start...
where someone could divorce their spouse without proving harm, and importantly, without the other’s consent. The transition from cultural and religious rules to state sanctioned ones has always been messy and incomplete—
Video examples
How I'm Working for...
that said no female could be on a leadership board, not one woman could have a decision-making authority, not one woman could handle any financial matter, we would have outrage. There would be sanctions.
Video examples
Why you should be a...
There is no intention for them to change the game. There is no country in the world where either companies or political powers are sanctioned for wrecking the climate.
Video examples
The challenges of being...
he was delisted from al-qaeda sanction list the UN couldn't find anything against him that wise peaceful man spoke to that little girl inside me and told
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Elliott Abrams
American Lawyer
Opponents of U.S. sanctions have made 'unilateral sanctions' their special target. They argue that sanctions observed by many nations would be much more effective. True enough. Far better for trade with an outlaw regime to be restricted by many nations than by just one.
Quote examples
Jacky Rosen
American Politician
Israel is a country with a thriving free press and a nation known across the world for its support of women's and LGBT rights, not one that should face sanctions by a supposedly peace-loving world body.
Quote examples
Federica Mogherini
Italian Politician
There have always been different opinions on some elements of our sanction policy. It will probably stay that way... What is important is that we keep this unity and decide all together.
Quote examples
Steve Coogan
British Comedian
If the person who can effectively sanction ill-conceived wars can play the electric guitar, which is a symbol of rebellion, then that whole worldview becomes confused.
Quote examples
Paul P. Harris
American Lawyer
How strange it is that murder has the sanction of law in one and only one of the human relationships, and that is the most important of all, that of nation to nation.
Quote examples
Hassan Rouhani
Iranian Leader
America will regret imposing sanctions on Iran... they're already isolated in the world.
Quote examples
Mitch McConnell
American Politician
If there's any country in the world that doesn't deserve sanctions relief, it's Russia.
Quote examples
Ralph Nader
American Lawyer
Sanctions against polluters are feeble and out of date, and are rarely invoked.
Quote examples
George Santayana
Spanish Philosopher
Character is the basis of happiness and happiness the sanction of character.
Quote examples
Omar Bongo
Gabonese Statesman
Economic sanctions rarely achieve the desired results.
Quote examples
Elliott Abrams
American Lawyer
Opponents of U.S. sanctions have made 'unilateral sanctions' their special target. They argue that sanctions observed by many nations would be much more effective. True enough. Far better for trade with an outlaw regime to be restricted by many nations than by just one.
Quote examples
Jacky Rosen
American Politician
Israel is a country with a thriving free press and a nation known across the world for its support of women's and LGBT rights, not one that should face sanctions by a supposedly peace-loving world body.
Quote examples
Federica Mogherini
Italian Politician
There have always been different opinions on some elements of our sanction policy. It will probably stay that way... What is important is that we keep this unity and decide all together.
Quote examples
Steve Coogan
British Comedian
If the person who can effectively sanction ill-conceived wars can play the electric guitar, which is a symbol of rebellion, then that whole worldview becomes confused.
Quote examples
Paul P. Harris
American Lawyer
How strange it is that murder has the sanction of law in one and only one of the human relationships, and that is the most important of all, that of nation to nation.
Quote examples
Hassan Rouhani
Iranian Leader
America will regret imposing sanctions on Iran... they're already isolated in the world.
Quote examples
Mitch McConnell
American Politician
If there's any country in the world that doesn't deserve sanctions relief, it's Russia.
Quote examples
Ralph Nader
American Lawyer
Sanctions against polluters are feeble and out of date, and are rarely invoked.
Quote examples
George Santayana
Spanish Philosopher
Character is the basis of happiness and happiness the sanction of character.
Quote examples
Omar Bongo
Gabonese Statesman
Economic sanctions rarely achieve the desired results.
Example 1 of 10
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