English Reference
Verb

disapprove

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˌdɪsəˈpɹuv/ UK /dˌɪsɐpɹˈuːv/ dis·ap·prove UK spelling disapproved, disapproves, disapproving

v.to think that someone or something is bad, wrong, or not suitable. You usually use this when you do not like a choice or a behavior.

v.to have or express an unfavourable opinion. Intransitive; requires a prepositional complement to indicate the object of the negative judgement.


SIMPLE

My parents disapprove of my new haircut.

CONTEXTUAL

The committee members are likely to disapprove of the new budget proposal because it cuts funding for local schools.

COMPLEX

While the public may disapprove of the celebrity's recent actions, legal experts argue that no specific laws were actually broken during the incident.

Usage

Intransitive verb; almost always takes the preposition 'of' before the object.

Pitfall
I disapprove the planI disapprove of the plan

Disapprove is an intransitive verb and requires the preposition 'of' to connect to its object.

Later on, Lomu’s marriages – all three – were to women of whom his family disapproved; and it becomes clear that some part of Lomu actively resented the constrictions of tradition.

The Guardian· 3 Sept 2026

From dis- + approve.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated