as in official
ordered or allowed by those in authority
I cannot believe that this religious cult is a sanctioned student organization
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in approved
to give official acceptance of as satisfactory
the administration will sanction almost any field trip with educational value
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sanctioned
Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 31 Aug. 2025
Police did not appear to look into the possibility of Kohberger going on a non-sanctioned visit that weekend, which would have been while he was enrolled at DeSales University in Pennsylvania.
—Chris Spargo, People.com, 5 Aug. 2025
The Atlantic, 10 Sep. 2025
Washington has sanctioned Chinese firms over dual-use goods and warned banks handling ruble transactions.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
The European Union has previously sanctioned some Chinese banks for enabling the circumvention of measures imposed on Russia.
—Silvia Amaro, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2025
All four individuals sanctioned by the Leagues Cup were also fined for their conduct.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
Suarez, as of publication, has not yet been sanctioned by the league.
—Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2025
Fenway Sports Group sanctioned all of the three most expensive signings in the Premier League this summer, with Hugo Ekitike following Isak and Wirtz to Anfield for a relatively modest £79m ($106m) from Eintracht Frankfurt.
—Dan Cancian, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
In 2023, Positive Technologies was sanctioned by the European Union.
—Andrei Soldatov, Foreign Affairs, 25 Aug. 2025
The European Union sanctioned the Wagner Group and individuals and entities connected to it in 2021 and 2023.
—Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
And like any sanctioned economy, the results were predictable.
—Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 31 Aug. 2025
Police did not appear to look into the possibility of Kohberger going on a non-sanctioned visit that weekend, which would have been while he was enrolled at DeSales University in Pennsylvania.
—Chris Spargo, People.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Verb
The company has been sanctioned by the United States.
—The Atlantic, 10 Sep. 2025
Washington has sanctioned Chinese firms over dual-use goods and warned banks handling ruble transactions.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
The European Union has previously sanctioned some Chinese banks for enabling the circumvention of measures imposed on Russia.
—Silvia Amaro, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2025
All four individuals sanctioned by the Leagues Cup were also fined for their conduct.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
Suarez, as of publication, has not yet been sanctioned by the league.
—Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2025
Fenway Sports Group sanctioned all of the three most expensive signings in the Premier League this summer, with Hugo Ekitike following Isak and Wirtz to Anfield for a relatively modest £79m ($106m) from Eintracht Frankfurt.
—Dan Cancian, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
In 2023, Positive Technologies was sanctioned by the European Union.
—Andrei Soldatov, Foreign Affairs, 25 Aug. 2025
The European Union sanctioned the Wagner Group and individuals and entities connected to it in 2021 and 2023.
—Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sanctioned
Adjective
-
Leslie had been discovered deceased in her upstairs bathroom, with the autopsy listing her official cause of death as blunt force trauma.—
Claire Lempert,
ABC News,
12 Sep. 2025
-
On Tuesday evening, ahead of the official start of New York Fashion Week, at Cipriani Wall in Manhattan, Brandice Daniel and her team executed an evening dedicated to artisans and creatives.—
Robyn Mowatt,
Essence,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Smith replied that private schools must submit renewal packets every year before they are approved to continue participation in the accounts program, and that the agency compares the new tuition rates against the older rates.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Rogaine is one of the most popular over-the-counter products powered by minoxidil—not to mention FDA-approved—at a high concentration crafted into a foam that can be integrated into your hair-care regimen with ease.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The link, which also actually goes to PayPal, adds the scammer as a second authorized user of your PayPal account.—
Alan Henry,
PC Magazine,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The system gives pilots two aural alerts when an unauthorized aircraft enters the runway on a collision course with the authorized aircraft.—
Asher Redd,
FOXNews.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
By the end of the novel, that opening line has been both called into question and ratified.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Drivers and budtenders at Ascend Cannabis Provisions in Grand Rapids ratified their first contract with Teamsters Local 406 two years ago.—
Adrienne Roberts,
Freep.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Acting Deputy Commissioner Jill Rogers confirmed a number of investigations were underway into the incident, including an Independent Police Conduct Authority investigation, Coronial enquiries, and a Critical Incident Review.—
Becca Longmire,
PEOPLE,
9 Sep. 2025
-
The 200-acre campus, now called Aspiria, is a contender for a potential Royals ballpark after the team confirmed that an affiliate purchased the mortgage of the campus in the spring, giving the team some financial leverage over the site.—
Taylor O'Connor,
Kansas City Star,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sanctioned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sanctioned. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share