What does approval mean?
Approval is a noun describing both the act of officially accepting or sanctioning something — such as a plan, application, or product — and the warmer sense of expressing favourable opinion or admiration. It sits at the heart of everyday decision-making: governments grant approval to policies, regulators approve medicines, and parents offer approval to their children's efforts. The word carries a generally positive connotation, signalling acceptance rather than mere tolerance, though its tone shifts with context: formal in phrases like 'regulatory approval', affectionate in 'a nod of approval'. Its opposite, disapproval, is equally common, reflecting how central judgements of acceptability are to social life. Approval derives from the Latin probare, meaning to test or judge something good, the same root behind 'prove' and 'probable' — a reminder that to approve something is, at root, to have tested it and found it worthy. Its versatility across personal, professional, and institutional language makes it one of the most frequently used abstract nouns in English.
nounThe action or fact of officially agreeing to something or accepting a plan, request, or person; also, the feeling or expression of favourable opinion or admiration.
- Official agreement or permission for something (e.g. planning approval, regulatory approval).
- Favourable opinion, regard, or admiration expressed towards someone or something.
"The committee gave its approval to the new building plans."
"The drug finally received approval from the regulatory authorities after years of testing."
"She looked at her daughter's painting with quiet approval."
Rarely used; appears mainly in legal, financial, or administrative contexts where several distinct approvals are being counted or listed.
"The project required approvals from three separate government agencies before construction could begin."
Approval literally means 'to make better' — it comes from Latin probare, 'to test and find good', the same root that gives us 'prove' and 'probable'.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of approval
Approval derives from the verb approve, which entered English from Old French aprouver, itself from Latin approbare, meaning to confirm or demonstrate as good. The Latin root probare ('to test, judge as good') also underlies prove, probable, and approbation, making these close cognates. The noun approval emerged in English around the mid-17th century, developing alongside the verb as ordinary language absorbed the formal vocabulary of assent and verification.
Related word forms
How approval is actually used
Common in both formal and informal registers. In institutional contexts it often implies an official decision; in personal contexts it conveys emotional warmth or esteem. The plural is rare and usually appears only in legal or administrative contexts referring to multiple distinct approvals.
Easily confused with approval
Approbation is a more formal word meaning praise or official commendation, whereas approval is the everyday term for agreement or acceptance.