Meaning & use
disapprove
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Meanings
verbintransitive
To have or express an unfavorable opinion about someone or something.
Grammar: Usually followed by 'of' when naming what is disapproved of: disapprove of something.
Patterns
- disapprove of something
- disapprove of someone doing something
Her parents disapprove of her boyfriend.
Many people disapprove of the new law.
The committee disapproved of the proposal.
verbtransitive
To officially refuse to accept or allow something.
Grammar: Takes a direct object; often used in formal or official contexts.
Patterns
- disapprove something
The board disapproved the budget.
The plan was disapproved by the city council.
Word forms
| third person singular | disapproves |
|---|---|
| past tense | disapproved |
| past participle | disapproved |
| -ing form | disapproving |
Common combinations
- disapprove of
- She disapproves of smoking in public places.
- strongly disapprove
- I strongly disapprove of his behavior.
- disapprove something
- The manager disapproved the request.
Synonyms and how they differ
- condemn
- Stronger and more public; disapprove can be a quiet feeling.
- object to
- Focuses on opposition; disapprove focuses on judgment.
- frown on
- Informal; suggests a social or moral judgment.
Opposites
Word family
- disapproval noun
- A feeling that something is bad or wrong.
- disapproving adjective
- Showing disapproval.
- disapprovingly adverb
- In a way that shows disapproval.
Commonly confused: disapprove or disprove?
disapprove vs disprove
Disprove means to show something is false; disapprove means to have a bad opinion of it.
Practice
Many voters ______ of the way the mayor handled the crisis.
Choose one answer.
The verb disapprove is intransitive and takes 'of' before the thing disapproved of: disapprove of something. 'Disapprove of' is correct; 'disapprove to/for' are wrong.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “disapprove”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.