approval

noun

An expression granting permission; an indication of agreement with a proposal; an acknowledgement that a person, thing, or event meets requirements.

An expression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones.

(especially philately) Something mailed by a seller to a collector to match their stated interests; the collector can approve of or return the item.

Roots

proboprov- · Latin · prove, test

Synonyms for approval

approbationn commendationn authorizationn assentn acceptancen blessingn imprimaturn consentn sanctionn permissionn acquiescencen endorsementn ratificationn confirmationn validationn

Synonyms & related words for approval

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of approval — including approbation, commendation, authorization, assent, acceptance, blessing. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to approval

Explore words related to approval — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include approving, approbatory, approbative, preapprove, approved, approves, approbate, acceptation. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for approval

Common synonyms for approval include approbation, commendation, authorization, assent, acceptance, blessing, imprimatur, consent — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does approval come from?

The word approval breaks down into one root of Latin origin: the root prov-, from Latin probo (“prove, test”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.