approve

UK: /əˈpruːv/ US: /əˈpruv/ ,(ə pro̅o̅v′)

Inflections of 'approve' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

approves

v 3rd person singular

approving

v pres p

approved

v past

approved

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

ap•prove /əˈpruv/   v., -proved, -prov•ing. 

1. to have a favorable view of: [~ + object]
   I can't approve rude behavior.
   [no object* (~ + of + object] )]:
   My parents didn't approve of my friends.
2. [~ + object] to find to be acceptable: Do you approve the plan?
3. Government [~ + object] to confirm formally;
   ratify;
   pass:
   The Senate voted to approve the bill.

See -prob-, -prov-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ap•prove  (ə pro̅o̅v′), v., -proved, -prov•ing. 
v.t. 

1. to speak or think favorably of;
   pronounce or consider agreeable or good;
   judge favorably:
   to approve the policies of the administration.
2. to consent or agree to:
   Father approved our plan to visit Chicago.
3. Government to confirm or sanction formally;
   ratify:
   The Senate promptly approved the bill.
4. [Obs.]
   • to demonstrate;
     show.
   • to make good;
     attest.
   • to prove by trial.
   • to convict.

v.i. 

5. to speak or consider favorably (sometimes fol. by of ):
   Mother didn't approve of him. The boss wouldn't approve of the plan. He said that he approved.

• Latin approbāre, equivalent. to ap- ap-¹ + probāre to prove
• Anglo-French, Old French aprover
• Middle English a(p)proven 1300–50

ap•prov′ed•ly, adv. 
ap•prov′ed•ness, n. 
ap•prov′ing•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1. appreciate, esteem.
  Approve, commend, praise mean to have, and usually to express, a favorable opinion.
  To approve is to have a very good opinion, expressed or not, of someone or something:
  He approved the new plan.
  To commend is to speak or write approv-ingly, often formally and publicly, to congratulate or honor for something done:
  to commend a worker for a job well done.
  To praise is to speak or write, often in glowing and emotional terms, about one or more persons, actions, plans, etc.:
  to praise someone's courage.
• 2, 3. authorize, endorse, validate.

Antonyms

• 2, 3. reject.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

approve / əˈpruːv/ verb

1. when intr, often followed by of: to consider fair, good, or right; commend (a person or thing)
2. (transitive) to authorize or sanction

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French aprover, from Latin approbāre to approve, from probāre to test, prove