disapprove

D2I1S1A1P3P3R1O1V4E1
UK/dɪsəˈpɹuːv/

verb

To condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate; used with of.

“She disapproves of rap music because of its sometimes aggressive lyrics.”

Similar
reject
Opposite
approve
OriginEnglish approve ← Middle English aproven ← Old French aprover →
Less commonScrabble 18
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Meanings

verbdisapprove (third-person singular simple present disapproves, present participle disapproving, simple past and past participle disapproved)

present singular third person disapproves · participle present disapproving · participle past disapproved · past disapproved

  1. intransitiveTo condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate; used with of.

    She disapproves of rap music because of its sometimes aggressive lyrics.

    1 more example

    The nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, but he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them.

    1945, George Orwell, Notes on Nationalism
  2. To have or express an unfavorable opinion.

    Green washing schemes of corporations are disapproved by Greenpeace activists.

  3. transitiveTo refuse to approve; reject.

Synonyms & antonyms

Opposite
approve

verbconsider bad or wrong

Opposite
approve
Broader
evaluatepass judgmentjudge

verbdeem wrong or inappropriate

Similar
reject
Opposite
approve
Broader
evaluatepass judgmentjudge
Also see
convictredlightreject

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*dwóh₁
  2. Proto-Indo-European*trísinflu.
  3. Proto-Indo-European*d(w)is-
  4. Proto-Italic*dis-
  5. Latindis-
  6. Old Frenchdes-
  7. Latindis-
  8. Middle Englishdis-
  9. Englishdis-
  10. Proto-Indo-European*h₂éd
  11. Proto-Italic*ad
  12. Proto-Italic*ad-
  13. Latinad-
  14. Proto-Indo-European*per-der.?
  15. Proto-Indo-European*pér
  16. Proto-Indo-European*pró
  17. Proto-Indo-European*pro-
  18. Proto-Indo-European*bʰuH-
  19. Proto-Indo-European*probʰHwós
  20. Proto-Italic*proβwos
  21. Proto-Italic*proβos
  22. Proto-Italic*proβāō
  23. Latinprobō
  24. Latinapprobāre
  25. Old Frenchaprover
  26. Middle Englishaproven
  27. Englishapprove
  28. Englishdisapprove

From dis- + approve.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian осъждам, порицавам
  • осъждам (osăždam)(with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
  • порицавам (poricavam)(with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Catalan desaprovar
  • desaprovar(with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Chinese Mandarin 譴責 /谴责, 不赞成
  • 譴責 /谴责 (qiǎnzé)(with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
  • 不赞成to have or express an unfavorable opinion
  • 不同意to have or express an unfavorable opinion
Dutch afkeuren
  • afkeuren(with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Esperanto kondamni, malaprobi
  • kondamni(with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
  • malaprobito have or express an unfavorable opinion
Finnish tuomita, hylätä
  • tuomita(with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
  • hylätäto have or express an unfavorable opinion
  • tuomitato have or express an unfavorable opinion
French désapprouver
  • désapprouver(with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
German missbilligen
  • missbilligen(with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Greek αποδοκιμάζω, αποδοκιμάζω
  • αποδοκιμάζω (apodokimázo)(with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
  • αποδοκιμάζω (apodokimázo)to have or express an unfavorable opinion
Hungarian kifogásol, helytelenít
  • kifogásol(with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
  • helytelenít(with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
  • elítél(with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
  • rosszall(with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
  • ellenez(with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
  • rossznak talál(with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
  • kárhoztat(with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
  • nincs ínyére(with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Italian disapprovare
  • disapprovare(with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Latin improbō, abdīcō
  • improbō(with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
  • abdīcō(with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Māori tirohura
  • tirohurato have or express an unfavorable opinion
Polish odrzucać, potępiać
  • odrzucać(with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
  • potępiać(with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
  • skazać(with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
  • potępiaćto have or express an unfavorable opinion
Portuguese desaprovar, desaprovar
  • desaprovar(with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
  • desaprovarto have or express an unfavorable opinion
Russian осуждать, порицать
  • осуждать (osuždatʹ)(with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
  • порицать (poricatʹ)(with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Swedish ogilla, misstycka
  • ogilla(with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
  • misstycka(with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
  • underkänna(with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Cite this entry
APA

disapprove. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/disapprove

MLA

“disapprove.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/disapprove. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “disapprove,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/disapprove.

Source: disapprove on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.