# approve

/əˈpɹuv/ (US) · /ɐpɹˈuːv/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/approve
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. to officially agree

verb · CEFR B1

to give official permission for something to happen.

For teachers: to officially sanction, ratify, or confirm something as satisfactory. This sense is transitive and requires a direct object.

- 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.'

### 2. to have a good opinion

verb · CEFR B1

to think that someone or something is good or right.

For teachers: to regard something as good, commendable, or acceptable. This sense is intransitive and almost always takes the preposition 'of'.

- 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'.

### 3. to demonstrate or prove

verb · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Formal

to show that something is true or has good quality.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- The manager needs to approve your vacation request.
- The city council met last night to approve the plans for the new community park.
- While the board may approve the merger in principle, the final execution remains contingent upon a thorough audit of the subsidiary's outstanding debts.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.