Meanings
nounapproval (countable and uncountable, plural approvals)
plural approvals
- countableuncountableAn expression granting permission; an indication of agreement with a proposal; an acknowledgement that a person, thing, or event meets requirements.
I need to get an approval on this purchase order.
Synonyms: approbation
- countableuncountableAn expression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones.
Words of approval never seem to come from him.
Synonyms: commendation
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAn expression granting permission; an indication of agreement with a proposal; an acknowledgement that a person, thing, or event meets requirements.
Similar
nounAn expression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones.
Similar
Broader
More synonyms by meaning
nouna message expressing a favorable opinion
Similar
Opposite
Broader
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂éd
- Proto-Italic*ad
- Proto-Italic*ad-
- Latinad-
- Proto-Indo-European*per-der.?
- Proto-Indo-European*pér
- Proto-Indo-European*pró
- Proto-Indo-European*pro-
- Proto-Indo-European*bʰuH-
- Proto-Indo-European*probʰHwós
- Proto-Italic*proβwos
- Proto-Italic*proβos
- Proto-Italic*proβāō
- Latinprobō
- Latinapprobāre
- Old Frenchaprover
- Middle Englishaproven
- Englishapprove
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
- Englishapproval
Translations
Ancient Greek ἔγκρισις, εὐδόκησις
- ἔγκρισις (énkrisis)expression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- εὐδόκησις (eudókēsis)expression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- ἀποδοχή (apodokhḗ)expression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones
Arabic قُبُول, قَبُول
- قُبُول (qubūl)expression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- قَبُول (qabūl)expression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- مُوَافَقَة (muwāfaqa)expression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- تَصْدِيق (taṣdīq)expression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
Bulgarian одобре́ние, разреше́ние
- одобре́ние (odobrénie)expression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- разреше́ние (razrešénie)expression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- одобре́ние (odobrénie)expression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones
- съгла́сие (săglásie)expression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones
Catalan aprovació, aprovació
- aprovacióexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- aprovacióexpression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones
Chinese Mandarin 贊同 /赞同, 批准
- 贊同 /赞同 (zàntóng)expression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- 批准 (pīzhǔn)expression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- 贊成 /赞成 (zànchéng)expression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
Czech souhlas, schválení
- souhlasexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- schváleníexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- schváleníexpression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones
- akceptováníexpression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones
- souhlasexpression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones
Danish godkendelse, anerkendelse
- godkendelseexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- anerkendelseexpression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones
Dutch goedkeuring, toestemming
- goedkeuringexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- toestemmingexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- instemmingexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- permissieexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- goedkeuringexpression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones
Esperanto aprobo, aprobo
- aproboexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- aproboexpression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones
Estonian heakskiitmine
- heakskiitmineexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
Finnish hyväksyminen, hyväksyntä
- hyväksyminenexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- hyväksyntäexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- hyväksyminenexpression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones
- hyväksyntäexpression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones
French agrément, approbation
- agrémentexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- approbationexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- approbationexpression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones
German Genehmigung, Billigung
- Genehmigungexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- Billigungexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- Erlaubnisexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- Zustimmungexpression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones
Greek έγκριση
- έγκριση (égkrisi)expression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
Hebrew אִשּׁוּר \ אישור, רְשׁוּת
- אִשּׁוּר \ אישור (ishúr)expression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- רְשׁוּת (r'shút)expression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- היתר (hetér)expression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- קַבָּלָה (kabalá)expression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones
Hungarian jóváhagyás, hozzájárulás
- jóváhagyásexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- hozzájárulásexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- beleegyezésexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- helybenhagyásexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- elismerésexpression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones
- tetszésexpression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones
- helyeslésexpression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones
Irish ceadú
- ceadúexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
Italian permesso, approvazione
- permessoexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- approvazioneexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- approvazioneexpression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones
- plausoexpression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones
- appoggioexpression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones
- consensoexpression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones
Japanese 賛成, 承認
- 賛成 (sansei)expression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- 承認 (shōnin)expression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- 承認 (shōnin)expression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones
Korean 인가, 승인
- 인가 (in'ga)expression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- 승인 (seung'in)expression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- 찬성 (chanseong)expression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- 찬성 (chanseong)expression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones
- 승인 (seung'in)expression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones
- 시제품 (sijepum)(chiefly philately) item sent to a collector
Lithuanian sutikimas
- sutikimasexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
Māori kupu whakaae
- kupu whakaaeexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
Persian تصویب, تحسین
- تصویب (tasvib)expression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- تحسین (tahsin)expression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- قبول (qabul)expression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
Polish zgoda, zatwierdzenie
- zgodaexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- zatwierdzenieexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- aprobataexpression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones
Portuguese aprovação, aprovação
- aprovaçãoexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- aprovaçãoexpression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones
Romanian aprobare
- aprobareexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
Russian одобре́ние, разреше́ние
- одобре́ние (odobrénije)expression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- разреше́ние (razrešénije)expression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- утвержде́ние (utverždénije)expression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- одобре́ние (odobrénije)expression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones
- согла́сие (soglásije)expression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones
Slovak súhlas, schválenie
- súhlasexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- schválenieexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
Spanish aprobación, venia
- aprobaciónexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- veniaexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- beneplácitoexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
Swedish godkännande
- godkännandeexpression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
Ukrainian затве́рдження, схва́лення
- затве́рдження (zatvérdžennja)expression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- схва́лення (sxválennja)expression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- зго́да (zhóda)expression granting permission; indication of agreement with a proposal; acknowledgement that a person, thing or event meets requirements
- зго́да (zhóda)expression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones
- схва́лення (sxválennja)expression of favorable acceptance and encouragement; a compliment that also condones
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with approval
All rhymes →Cite this entry
APA
approval. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/approval
MLA
“approval.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/approval. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “approval,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/approval.
Source: approval on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.