Sanction Meaning in English
word
ˈsæŋkʃən
SANK-shuhn
sˈɑːnkʃən
SARNK-shuhn
Definition
A 'sanction' is a penalty, usually by governments, to punish or limit someone’s actions; it can also mean official approval for something.
Usage & Nuances
'Sanction' is confusing because it has opposite meanings: 'punishment' and 'permission.' In politics, it usually means penalties ('economic sanctions'); in legal contexts, it can mean permission. Check for context clues.
Spanish: sanción - autorizaciónPortuguese (BR): sanção - autorizaçãoPortuguese (PT): sanção - autorizaçãoChinese (Simplified): 制裁 - 批准Chinese (Traditional): 制裁 - 批准Hindi: प्रतिबंध - अनुमतिArabic: عقوبة - موافقةBengali: অধিকার - অনুমোদন (অনুমতি) - নিষেধাজ্ঞা (শাস্তি)Russian: санкция (наказание) - санкция (разрешение)Japanese: 制裁（せいさい） - 承認（しょうにん）Vietnamese: trừng phạt - phê chuẩn (cho phép)Korean: 제재(처벌) - 인가(허가)Turkish: yaptırım - izin (resmî onay)Urdu: تحریم (پابندی) - منظوری (اجازت)Indonesian: sanksi (hukuman) - persetujuan (izin)
Example Sentences
The government imposed a sanction on the company.
basic
The teacher gave her sanction to start the project.
basic
Sanctions can hurt a country's economy.
basic
The proposal got official sanction from the board last night.
natural
He acted without sanction, so it wasn't allowed.
natural
The United Nations voted to place sanctions on the country.
natural