approve
verb /əˈpruːv/
/əˈpruːv/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they approve | /əˈpruːv/ /əˈpruːv/ |
| he / she / it approves | /əˈpruːvz/ /əˈpruːvz/ |
| past simple approved | /əˈpruːvd/ /əˈpruːvd/ |
| past participle approved | /əˈpruːvd/ /əˈpruːvd/ |
| -ing form approving | /əˈpruːvɪŋ/ /əˈpruːvɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive] to think that somebody/something is good, acceptable or suitable
- I told my mother I wanted to leave school but she didn't approve.
- approve of somebody/something Do you approve of my idea?
- She didn't quite approve of the way he was running things.
- approve of somebody doing something She doesn't approve of me leaving school this year.
- (formal) approve of somebody’s doing something She doesn't approve of my leaving school this year.
Extra ExamplesTopics Opinion and argumentb2- I don't personally approve but I'm willing to live with it.
- He didn't say anything, but I could tell from the look on his face that he didn't approve.
- I very much approve of these new tests.
- I wholeheartedly approve of his actions.
- I don't think your mother would approve of this behaviour, do you?
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- fully
- heartily
- strongly
- …
- of
- [transitive] approve something to officially agree to a plan, request, etc.
- The committee unanimously approved the plan.
- We hope that the proposals will soon be approved by the committee.
- to approve a bill/application
Synonyms agreeagree- accept
- approve
- go along with somebody/something
- consent
- agree to say that you will do what somebody wants or that you will allow something to happen:
- He agreed to let me go early.
- accept to be satisfied with something that has been done, decided or suggested:
- They accepted the court’s decision.
- approve to officially agree to a plan, suggestion or request:
- The committee unanimously approved the plan.
- go along with somebody/something (rather informal) to agree to something that somebody else has decided; to agree with somebody else’s ideas:
- She just goes along with everything he suggests.
- consent (rather formal) to agree to something or give your permission for something:
- She finally consented to answer our questions.
- to agree/consent to something
- to agree/consent to do something
- to agree to/accept/approve/go along with/consent to a plan/proposal
- to agree to/accept/approve a request
- They approved the creation of a human resources development centre.
- His appointment has not been formally approved yet.
- The Legislature narrowly approved an amendment to the Massachusetts Constitution.
- The committee has approved the compensation package.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- formally
- officially
- federally
- …
- [transitive, often passive] to say that something is good enough to be used or is correct
- be approved by somebody/something The course is approved by the Department for Education.
- be approved for something This medicine is not approved for use in children.
- be approved as something The chemical has never been federally approved as a pesticide.
- approve something The auditors approved the company's accounts.
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French aprover, from Latin approbare (from ad- ‘to’ + probare ‘try, test’). The original sense was ‘prove, demonstrate’, later ‘corroborate, confirm’, hence ‘pronounce to be satisfactory’ (late Middle English).