Word
approve
Phoneticsap·prove, stress on the second syllable
US/əˈpɹuv/
UK/ɐpɹˈuːv/
Definitions
01to officially agree
B1 · Intermediate
v. to give official permission for something to happen.
v. to officially sanction, ratify, or confirm something as satisfactory. This sense is transitive and requires a direct object.
日本語:承認する※
“The city council needs to approve the plans before we can start building.”
“The regulatory board refused to approve the merger until the companies agreed to divest several of their regional subsidiaries.”
Usage
Takes a direct object: 'The manager approved the request.'
02to have a good opinion
B1 · Intermediate
v. to think that someone or something is good or right.
v. to regard something as good, commendable, or acceptable. This sense is intransitive and almost always takes the preposition 'of'.
日本語:賛成する※
“I don't approve of smoking in the house because of the children.”
“While the public generally approved of the new environmental policy, some critics argued that the implementation timeline was far too aggressive.”
Usage
Usually followed by the preposition 'of'.
Pitfall
My parents don't approve my new boyfriend.
My parents don't approve of my new boyfriend.
When you are expressing an opinion about someone's character or behavior, you must use 'approve of'.
Antonyms
03to demonstrate or prove
C2 · Proficiency Law Archaic · Formal
v. to show that something is true or has good quality.
v. to demonstrate the merits of something or to prove it through practice. This usage is largely restricted to legal or historical contexts.
“The knight sought to approve his courage on the field of battle.”
“The defendant was required to approve his claim to the land by producing original deeds from the seventeenth century.”
Teaching tip
This sense is rare in modern conversation; learners will mostly encounter it in historical literature or specific legal documents.
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “approve” in context.
Verb
01. approve of the plan
“Most of the committee members said they approve of the plan to renovate the library.”
verb + prep + noun
02. approve the request
“The manager needs to approve the request before you can take your vacation days.”
verb + noun
03. formally approve
“The board will formally approve the budget during their meeting next Tuesday.”
adv + verb
04. unanimously approve
“The council voted to unanimously approve the new environmental regulations.”
adv + verb
Preposition
05. approve of someone
“Her parents didn't really approve of her new boyfriend at first.”
prep + noun
Adverb
06. heartily approve
“The critics heartily approve of the director's latest cinematic masterpiece.”
adv + verb
07. strongly approve
“I strongly approve of the changes made to the safety protocols.”
adv + verb
Real-World Examples
“No joystick will control them, and no human will approve each turn.” “A daily weight-loss pill made by the drug firm behind the Mounjaro jab has been approved for use in the UK - the first country in Europe to do so.” “Image caption, The Sunday People profiles a mother who has approved an operation "to cut daughter's brain in half".” Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *pér Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *pró Proto-Indo-European *pro-der. Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH-der. Proto-Italic *proβwos Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Italic *-āō Proto-Italic *proβwāō Latin probō Latin approbōder. Old French aproverbor. Middle English aproven English approve From Middle English aproven, appreoven, appreven, apreven, borrowed from Old French aprover, approver, approuvir, appreuver (“to approve”), from Latin approbō, from ad + probō (“to esteem as good, approve, prove”). Doublet of approbate. By surface analysis, ad- + prove.
From Middle English approuen, approven, from Old French aprouer; a- + a form apparently derived from the pro, prod, in Latin prōsum (“be useful or profitable”). Compare with improve.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/approve
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0