# sanction

/ˈsæŋkʃən/ (US) · /sˈɑːnkʃən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sanction
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. economic or political penalty

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal · Academic

a punishment, usually an economic one, that one or more countries use to force another country to obey international law.

For teachers: a coercive measure, typically economic or diplomatic, adopted by one or more nations against another to elicit compliance with international law.

- The United Nations voted to lift the trade sanctions after the peace treaty was signed.
- The international community imposed stringent economic sanctions on the regime in an effort to curtail its nuclear enrichment programme.

Usage: Usually used in the plural when referring to international trade restrictions.

### 2. official approval

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

official permission or approval for an action.

For teachers: authoritative permission or approval that makes a course of action valid or acceptable.

- The new research project cannot begin without the official sanction of the university board.
- The expedition proceeded with the full sanction of the government, ensuring they had access to restricted colonial archives.

Usage: Often used in the singular in formal administrative contexts.

### 3. to permit or approve

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to give official permission for something to happen.

For teachers: to give official authorization or approval to an action or practice.

- The city council refused to sanction the construction of the new shopping mall.
- The governing body declined to sanction the use of the experimental drug until further clinical trials were completed.

Usage: This is a transitive verb taking a direct object, often an action or a plan.

### 4. to punish or penalize

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal · Technical

to punish a person or a country for breaking a rule.

For teachers: to impose a penalty on an entity or to subject a state to coercive measures.

- The sports federation will sanction any athlete who is caught using banned substances.
- The committee has the power to sanction members who violate the professional code of ethics through fines or suspension.

Usage: Commonly used in legal, sporting, and diplomatic contexts.

## Examples

- The government imposed a new trade sanction on the neighboring country.
- International leaders debated which economic sanction would most effectively pressure the regime to end the conflict.
- While the primary goal of the diplomatic sanction was to isolate the aggressor, critics argued that the resulting trade embargo disproportionately affected the civilian population.

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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.